Questions
2005 Essay Contest
Subject: The Role Of Personal Responsibility In Balancing Individual Liberty And The Common Good
Welfare State on the Street Where You Live (Tibor Machan)
Q1- Why does Machan use "steal" in his statement: "Private property solves this problem, but was abandoned a long time ago when taxes reached the point where we can steal our way to being provided with all sorts of things we desire, never mind thinking about paying for them or long-range budgeting."?
Q2- Machan said: "For that which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it." Give two examples of this from your personal experience.
Q3- Do you agree with Machan that "...everybody is more inclined to neglect the duty which he expects another to fulfill; as in families many attendants are often less useful than a few."? Give an objective example of this.
Are We Going the Way of Rome? (Lawrence Reed)
Q4- State Kershner's First Law. Do you agree or disagree
and why?
Q5- What industry was the first to be taken over by government in both ancient Rome and the USA?
Q6- Is cheapened money the cause or the outcome of inflation? Explain.
Q7- How did the Edict of 301 affect Rome's economy?
Liberty and Individual Responsibility (Dwight R.
Lee)
Q8- Lee claims that individuals could be "entirely independent of
others" except for what? Explain.
Q9- Describe the dilemma concerning rules as discussed by Lee.
Q10- Why is the concept of private property crucial to freedom?
Lawrence Reed's testimony before the U.S. Senate Budget Committee.
Q11- Argue both pro and con that in his testimony
Lawrence Reed was advocating compassion and aid for the poor.
Q12- "If people are free, they will not earn equal incomes; conversely, show me a people who have equal incomes and I will show you a people who are not free." Explain in your own words Mr. Reed's meaning.