THE HINDU EDITORIAL : MARCH 10, 2018
THE HINDU EDITORIAL : MARCH 10, 2018
a) Death with dignity: on SC’s verdict on euthanasia and living wills
The core philosophy underlying the Supreme Court’s verdict allowing passive euthanasia and giving legal status to ‘advance directives’ is that the right to a dignified life extends up to the point of having a dignified death. In four concurring opinions, the five-member Constitution Bench grappled with a question that involved, in the words of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, “finding substance and balance in the relationship between life, morality and the experience of dying”. The outcome of the exercise is a progressive and humane verdict that lays down a broad legal framework for protecting the dignity of a terminally ill patient or one in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) with no hope of cure or recovery. For, in such circumstances, “accelerating the process of death for reducing the period of suffering constitutes a right to live with dignity”. The core message is that all adults with the capacity to give consent “have the right of self determination and autonomy”, and the right to refuse medical treatment is also encompassed in it. Passive euthanasia was recognised by a two-judge Bench in Aruna Shanbaug in 2011; now the Constitution Bench has expanded the jurisprudence on the subject by adding to it the principle of a ‘living will’, or an advance directive, a practice whereby a person, while in a competent state of mind, leaves written instructions on the sort of medical treatment that may or may not be administered in the event of her reaching a stage of terminal illness. Passive euthanasia essentially involves withdrawal of life support or discontinuation of life-preserving medical treatment so that a person with a terminal illness is allowed to die in the natural course. The court’s reasoning is unexceptionable when it says burdening a dying patient with life-prolonging treatment and equipment merely because medical technology has advanced would be destructive of her dignity. In such a situation, “individual interest has to be given priority over the state interest”. The court has invoked its inherent power under Article 142 of the Constitution to grant legal status to advance directives, and its directives will hold good until Parliament enacts legislation on the matter. The government submitted that it was in the process of introducing a law to regulate passive euthanasia, but opposed the concept of advance directive on the ground that it was liable to be misused. The stringent conditions imposed by the court regarding advance directives are intended to serve as a set of robust safeguards and allay any apprehensions about misuse. The court is justified in concluding that advance directives will strengthen the will of the treating doctors by assuring them that they are acting lawfully in respecting the patient’s wishes. An advance directive, after all, only reflects the patient’s autonomy and does not amount to a recognition of a wish to die.
b) Trade goes on: on U.S and free trade
The United States under Donald Trump may not be a huge fan of free trade across borders, but that’s not stopping other countries from embracing it. On Thursday, 11 Asia-Pacific countries, including Japan, Australia and Canada, signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in Chile. The CPTPP is, in effect, the original Trans-Pacific Partnership struck during the Barack Obama presidency minus the U.S. On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump had promised to pull the U.S. out of the TPP, and went on to do precisely that within weeks of assuming office. Interestingly, the CPTPP comes soon after the U.S. had made clear its plan to impose tariffs on the import of aluminium and steel in an attempt to protect domestic manufacturers. The countries signing the agreement, which account for more than 13% of the world economy, have agreed to bring down tariffs on cross-border trade by as much as 98% after domestic ratification. More countries are expected to sign the CPTPP in the future, and there is hope that a post-Trump U.S. may join the bloc. But even in the absence of the world’s largest economy, countries that are currently part of the deal will only gain from any reduction in the costs imposed on trade. This will leave the world, which has largely been moving towards increasing free trade even as the U.S. has turned inwards, better off than without the deal. The CPTPP, as it looks to expand influence by adding other countries into its fold, will need to address other problems as well. One of the points of criticism of the TPP, even in its original form as a 12-member agreement, was the alleged influence of special interests in dictating its broad framework. Mr. Trump, in fact, smartly capitalised on these sentiments to attack and then pull out of the agreement last year. The TPP text, which has in large part been incorporated into the new deal, had also been flayed for mandating labour and other regulations that increase the bureaucratic burden on businesses. Many have cited the size of the agreement, which runs into several chapters and thousands of pages, to contend that the benefits from tariff reductions may be cancelled out by the massive increase in regulatory requirements. While there may be no hard and fast rule to gauge the net benefit of the agreement, addressing these concerns will only strengthen the chances of more countries joining it. A simpler trade agreement can also help the cause of transparency and lower the chances of lobbying by special interests in the future. Last but not least, amid palpable fears of a global trade war, the survival of a free trade agreement despite the sudden pullout of the U.S. offers some respite to the supporters of free trade.
WORDS/VOCABULARY
1) Underlying
Meaning: Be the cause or basis of (something).
Example: “the fundamental issue which underlies the conflict”
Synonyms: Basic, Primary
Antonyms: Subordinate
2) Euthanasia
Meaning: The painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.
Example: Although some people campaign for the right to euthanasia, it is still illegal in most countries.
Synonyms: Assisted suicide, Mercy killing
3) Dignified
Meaning: Having or showing a composed or serious manner that is worthy of respect.
Example: “she maintained a dignified silence”
Synonyms: Stately, Courtly
Antonyms: Undignified
4) Concurring
Meaning: Happen or occur at the same time; coincide.
Example: “in tests, cytogenetic determination has been found to concur with enzymatic determination”
Synonyms: Coincide, Clash
5) Grappled
Meaning: Engage in a close fight or struggle without weapons; wrestle.
Example: “passers-by grappled with the man after the knife attack”
Synonyms: Wrestle, Struggle
6) Progressive
Meaning: Favouring change or innovation.
Example: “the most progressive art school in Britain”
Synonyms: Modern, Advanced
Antonyms: Conservative, Reactionary
7) Terminally
Meaning: In an extreme manner that is beyond cure or alteration.
Example: “Arsenal’s loss has terminally damaged their title bid”
8) Circumstances
Meaning: A fact or condition connected with or relevant to an event or action.
Example: “we wanted to marry but circumstances didn’t permit”
Synonyms: Situation, Position
9) Accelerating
Meaning: Increase in rate, amount, or extent.
Example: “inflation started to accelerate”
Synonyms: Advance, Increase
Antonyms: Decelerate, Drop
10) Consent
Meaning: Permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.
Example: “no change may be made without the consent of all the partners”
Synonyms: Agreement, Assent
Antonyms: Dissent
11) Encompassed
Meaning: Include comprehensively.
Example: “no studies encompass all sectors of medical care”
Synonyms: Cover, Embrace
12) Jurisprudence
Meaning: A legal system.
Example: “American jurisprudence”
13) Competent
Meaning: (of a person) efficient and capable.
Example: “an infinitely competent mother of three”
Synonyms: Capable, Able
Antonyms: Incompetent
14) Withdrawal
Meaning: The action of withdrawing something.
Example: “the withdrawal of legal aid”
Synonyms: Removal, Termination
Antonyms: Introduction
15) Destructive
Meaning: Negative and unhelpful.
Example: “destructive criticism”
Synonyms: Negative, Hostile
Antonyms: Constructive
16) Invoked
Meaning: Cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
Example: “the antiquated defence of insanity is rarely invoked in England”
Synonyms: Cite, Adduce
Antonyms: Waive
17) Enacts
Meaning: Make (a bill or other proposal) law.
Example: “legislation was enacted to attract international companies”
Synonyms: Pass, Approve
Antonyms: Repeal
18) Liable
Meaning: Responsible by law; legally answerable.
Example: “the credit-card company is liable for any breach of contract”
Synonyms: Responsible, Culpable
Antonyms: Exempt, Unaccountable
19) Imposed
Meaning: Require (a duty, charge, or penalty) to be undertaken or paid.
Example: “a fine may be imposed”
Synonyms: Levy, Exact
20) Intended
Meaning: Plan that something should be or do something.
Example: “a series of questions intended as a checklist”
Synonyms: Plan, Mean
21) Apprehensions
Meaning: Anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
Example: “he felt sick with apprehension”
Synonyms: Anxiety, Worry
Antonyms: Confidence
22) Recognition
Meaning: Acknowledgement of the existence, validity, or legality of something.
Example: “the unions must receive proper recognition”
Synonyms: Acknowledgement, Acceptance
23) Embracing
Meaning: Accept (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically.
Example: “besides traditional methods, artists are embracing new technology”
Synonyms: Welcome, Accept
Antonyms: Reject
24) Struck
Meaning: Come into forcible contact or collision with.
Example: “he was struck by a car in White park Road”
Synonyms: Hit, Impact
25) Precisely
Meaning: Exactly (used to emphasize the complete accuracy or truth of a statement).
Example: “at 2.00 precisely, the phone rang”
Synonyms: Exactly, Sharp
26) Ratification
Meaning: The action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.
Example: “ratification of the treaty raised problems in several member states”
27) Bloc
Meaning: A group of countries or political parties with common interests who have formed an alliance.
Example: “the Soviet bloc”
Synonyms: Alliance, Association
28) Better off
Meaning: To be in a better situation, if or after something happens.
Example: He’d be better off working for a bigger company.
Synonyms: Rich, Wealthy
29) Dictating
Meaning: State or order authoritatively.
Example: “the tsar’s attempts to dictate policy”
Synonyms: Dominate, Oppress
30) Incorporated
Meaning: Take in or contain (something) as part of a whole; include.
Example: “he has incorporated in his proposals a number of measures”
Synonyms: Absorb, Include
Antonyms: Separate
31) Flayed
Meaning: Criticize severely and brutally.
Example: “he flayed the government for not moving fast enough on economic reform”
Synonyms: Criticize, Attack
32) Contend
Meaning: Struggle to surmount (a difficulty).
Example: “she had to contend with his uncertain temper”
Synonyms: Deal with, Compete
33) Massive
Meaning: Large and heavy or solid.
Example: “a massive rampart of stone”
Synonyms: Huge, Gigantic
Antonyms: Tiny
34) Concerns
Meaning: Be relevant or important to; affect or involve.
Example: “she was prying into that which did not concern her”
Synonyms: Affect, Involve
35) Simpler
Meaning: Easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty.
Example: “a simple solution”
Synonyms: Easy, Uninvolved
Antonyms: Difficult, Hard
36) Transparency
Meaning: The condition of being transparent.
Example: “the transparency of ice”
Synonyms: Clarity, Visibility
Antonyms: Opacity, Ambiguity
37) Lobbying
Meaning: Seek to influence (a legislator) on an issue.
Example: “they insist on their right to lobby Congress”
Synonyms: Influence, Sway
38) Palpable
Meaning: (of a feeling or atmosphere) so intense as to seem almost tangible.
Example: “a palpable sense of loss”
Synonyms: Perceptible, Observable
Antonyms: Intangible, Imperceptible
39) Pullout
Meaning: A withdrawal, especially from military involvement or participation in a commercial venture.
Example: “the peace plan was based on a pull-out from the occupied territory”
40) Respite
Meaning: A short delay permitted before an unpleasant obligation is met or a punishment is carried out.
Example: “a Letter of Licence, by which creditors agreed to postpone claims, brought only temporary respite”
Synonyms: Postponement, Deferment
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THE HINDU EDITORIAL – MARCH 8, 2018
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