Burlington High School

Burlington, Kansas

Teacher: Devra Parker

Socialistic Government in our Backyard

By Austin Hills

12^th Grade

According to the Fourth Edition of The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, capitalism is “An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned and development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market.”  Socialism is “Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.”

Envision our nation being ruled by a capitalistic ruler such as Adam Smith himself or Adolf Hitler.  We would probably be the most powerful nation in the world to the point that just the name of the United States would be a big enough deterrent that no one would even attempt to mess with us.  The poverty in this country would be at the greatest in the world along with inadequate housing, education, and survival.

Now picture our nation being ruled by a leader that cares for the well being of the citizens living in the United States.  This type of government would do what is best for the common people and not do what is best for the ruler in becoming a super power.  With this administration, there would be checks and balances that would eliminate the possibility of one person or branch of government to have more power than that of another.  This is why I believe that our nation is run more by a socialistic form of government. 

Even though this is a politically loaded word, it is still related to the development of a controlled working class.  Our government is run to the best of its ability due to the fact that we have a check and balances system.  With this organized structure, we are able to control the economy without the over power of one person or group.  With a centralized government set up on a configuration such as this, there is much success in controlling a nation to its fullest.  With the controlling of goods and production, it eliminates the fighting amongst people who are in the running for the corporation of processing foods and delivery.  A basic outline as to what can and cannot go on solely is the backbone of this and the nation. 

Our fore Fathers set up a Constitution to ensure that this great nation will not come to a capitalistic nation.  There will be checks and balances throughout the government and an organized way to get objectives done to the best of its ability through insight of the common people.

Along with the passage in the Constitution, socialism ideas and models can be traced back to the early man who had socialistic ways and possibly an inherited type of way.  When the word first got out to the English language, it was used by industrial and agricultural workers to express their views of solidarity and support an egalitarian society, with economics that would use popular rule rather than just a few people.

Capitalism in the 21^st century is decreasing with technology and realization that some ways to run a country just don’t work.  It preserved by some people that it does not improve the socio-economic conditions that our nation thrives on in this day and age. 

Many people see that a country or nation that is believed to be that of a socialistic government and economy is just a rest stop before they turn to communist ways.  With the backbone that the United States have, I feel that we will never turn to communism due to the fact that we know the symptoms, outcome and ways to expend it.  Now, compared to the Chinese economy, we are no match, but we also do not have a massive growth rate amongst the population.  And, we are not communist.

In conclusion, I feel that we, the people of the United States of America, resemble a more socialist government than that of a capitalistic type of government.  Most all of the powers through socialism come from a centralized government; this bears a resemblance to the form of government that heads our nation.  We do not have a free market, for we have laws and regulations for our economy which do not act as capitalism.  With capitalism our nation would be in a state of chaos due to the new technology and the way the people think in this day and age. Our nation has formed around a solid base of social democracy.

Answers To Questions Prompted By The Required Reading

Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy
Q1- What does Mr. Reed mean when he says "Equal people are not free."?

The equal people that Mr. Reed is referring to are the average citizen of the United States.  In his explanation of his principle he describes equal people are not free because there would have to be a gun placed against everyone’s head in order to be equal amongst one another.  He describes that people in this day and age aren’t equal do to the fact that most people in the U.S. don’t strive to excel in life; they settle with what they have.

Q2- What is the deadly trade-off to reliance upon government, according to Reed?

According to Mr. Reed, even though we have to trust and abide by our own government, we need to still keep a close eye on them.  This eye that is watching them should pick up on small details that hint that when our government is growing, our liberties or declining.  Along with our liberties declining, we are also paying for part of the problem.  If we rely solely on the government to run our country, then they will slowly but surely become a high power that would be force not one would recon with.

The Calf of Democracy
Q3- Why did the Founding Fathers assure that the United States became a republic rather than a pure democracy?

A pure democracy is based on majority vote on every issue that comes up within the government.  With this type of government the citizens finding themselves in the minority are at a disadvantage of certain inalienable rights.  Plus, many decisions that have to be made; require some type of knowledge on the subject, quick decisions, or decisions that the should not belong to the government.  Our fathers set up a republic government that is founded on principles that mean more than voting- individual rights.

Q4- What is the saving grace of democracy according to Lawrence Reed?

According to Lawrence Reed, saving grace of democracy is a system that without violence can allow political change.  This is all true if whether the change of the majority is right of wrong, good or evil.

Freedom Is Not a Doctrine
Q5- Richard Haas gives two unusual reasons for advocating democracy. What are they?

The two unusual reasons that Richard Haas gives for promoting democracy; through campaigning against terrorism and ending tyranny in our world by the spreading of democracy.
 
Q6- Give two reasons you personally would promote democracy.

My first and for most reason that I would promote democracy would be that I personally have lived in a democracy ran nation.  Our type of government is a sub division of democracy with the full title being “Republic Democracy.”  Also, another reason to promote democracy is due to the fact that the will of the people have a say in what goes on in our great nation with some restriction by the constitution.
 
Q7- Comment (any length) on President Bush's current foreign policy.

President Bush’s foreign policy, summed up in a short version, would be that he wants to control the world through a constant government.  I feel that he, and capital hill, is scared for the sake of our nation that they are doing what they can to ensure that all countries have our back and when they have succeeded in doing so, we will have what all Miss America representative’s would say, “World Peace.”  Will this ever happen?  Don’t bet on it.
 
Internet Activities
Visit the Society for Disseminating Economic Knowledge: "New Economic School-Georgia" Georgia was part of the old Soviet Union.

You will find this web site by browsing the Economic Freedom Network and scrolling to "S" for Society.  http://www.freetheworld.com/other.html  On first impression the site may appear amateurish. The English translation may materialized only partially. However it provides a link to a very well done flash presentation. http://www.isil.org/resources/introduction.swf 

Q8- How did you interpret each of the four different hats ("officials with fine hats")?
 
I interpreted the four different hats as being the different kinds of leaders that a nation can have.  The crown represents a monarchy with a king or queen.  The top hat kind of resembles a capitalistic nation with a person of wealthy power takes control.  The graduation cap resembles more of a democracy with someone coming up to power due to their intellectual well being.  Lastly there is the bowler hat which would symbolize a coup d’ etat or dictatorship with some type of military over throw.

Q9- How did you interpret the megaphone, baby, knife/gun ("No matter how officials are selected")?

I thought that the megaphone was a resemblance of the good old days where people strapped megaphones on the top of vehicles and telling the public to vote for a specific individual through popular vote.  The baby symbolized a type of monarchy with the power of a nation/country being handed down to generations.  The knife and gun on the other hand resembles the bowler hat and taking power by force.

Q10- Browse the "Favorite Links" of the Economic Freedom Network http://www.freetheworld.com/other.html and share one of your favorite discoveries with us. Make sure you copy the url. Tell us why you chose it.

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5131  I chose this article due to the fact that we are having a pretty warm fall for this time of year.  In this passage it tells about each scientist ideas as to this “global warming,”  

Q11- Once again go to www.freetheworld.com and this time note the question asked near the top of the page: "How much economic freedom exists in your country?" and randomly choose five countries. List the name of each and their highest and lowest year for economic freedom.
 

Q12- Which of your five countries had the greatest degree of economic freedom according to this exercise?

The United States had the largest degree of economic freedom by .6 over Australia.

Q13- What was the summary rating and rank in the year it achieved this degree of economic freedom?
(You can find this information by clicking on the Economic Freedom of the World: 2004 Annual Report and then choosing Chapter 3 and scrolling to your chosen country.)

According to the Annual Report, the United States had a summary rating of 8.6 and a rank of 2 out of 123.
 

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