Burlington High School
Burlington, Kansas
Teacher: Devra. Parker
Capitalism or Socialism
By Craig Schuh
12th Grade
Capitalism refers to an economic system in which most of production are both corporately or privately owned and operated. Production, distribution, and prices of goods are determined in a free market, instead of the state. The production of goods is usually operated in means of making a profit. Socialism is the belief in which popular collectives control all the power and the means of production. It strongly relates to the establishment of an organized working class, with the purpose of building a classless society. A socialist is classed as a group of ideologies, an economic system, or a state.
Capitalism and
socialism are types of governments with in different societies in the world
which have been successful, but also have failed at times. There are reasons
they have failed and worked over the years, although I feel socialism has helped
way more than capitalism has in the U.S. I will try to explain best I can how
socialism has helped us more than capitalism.
Capitalism
is based on [private] ownership of property and each person can live their life
any way they choose, just as long as he doesn’t violate the rights of other
people. People are allowed to run their business any way they want to in a free
market enterprise to make a profit for them. The more dedicated the person; the
more likely he will become wealthy. Capitalists like to think that the only goal
they need to do in the government of the
United States
is to protect people from fraud and from people stealing other peoples’
individual rights. Capitalists also feel force can only violate others’ rights,
and the government only uses force in relation of those who start it. A
capitalist’s view of this would be that the government also tries to get a
control over all businesses to prevent people from starting their own companies.
Socialism
is a society which uses resources by the workers to help better society. The
government can control the production level, but the people and workers decide
how much and what all will be produced. The government is trying to get the
production of goods equally distributed between the societies. The working class
has the essentials need to run the economy. People who are working in a
socialist economy must have the government make laws that all companies must
follow that are also working class principles. Workers and people need to be
treated equally and that is why these laws were made.
Capitalists think socialism feels like people have to sacrifice their own right
for the better of one’s society. Also, they seem like they have to release one’s
individual thoughts. Capitalists do not see this system as an ideal system to go
by. A capitalist comprehends life from one person to another. Socialists say
that the workers in a capitalist economy struggle against the greed of an
individual instead of looking out for the economy. Working people should work
hard socially to produce all products and also people should come together to
help produce an economy. Capitalists take all the wealth they have earned and
made and use it for themselves. Capitalists feel there is a disagreement between
social production and individual ownership. Capitalists try to steal the wealth
of other capitalist members to use towards their advantage and sometimes hurt
other people. In the process people start losing positions like their jobs and
receiving pay cuts. Although, capitalists believe it is not a system that
exploits a huge population of our society for wealthy workers. Socialism causes
the use of labor, by placing monopolies on companies that small business owners
have started. There are good and bad points dealing with both types of
governments. I feel that socialism has more good points than a capitalist
economy. Then in the long run, I feel makes socialism more successful.
It shows
that capitalists are greedier and care so much more about what is going to
benefit him or herself than everybody as a society. As highly good people try to
help and benefit for others. They care less about being wealthy and more on how
they are being treated, along with their fellow employees. They like the
government, because they and I can also feel that the government does
supply great programs for people in much need. The answer to economic success is
in the socialist’s economy because they don’t only offer freedom for everybody,
but a way so each business is fair with one another, not only in competition,
but also to their clients and employees.
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."?
People that are economically equal are not because if they were, you would have to employ force to make people equal.
Q2- What is the deadly trade-off to reliance upon government, according to Reed?
If people rely on the government then, we as people lose some of our freedom because the governments will think they can do whatever they want.
The Calf of Democracy
Q3- Why did the
Founding Fathers assure that the United States became a republic rather than a
pure democracy?
Our Founding Fathers started a republic instead of a pure democracy because it places the decisions on a select group of informed representatives rather than on the consensus of and uninformed majority vote.
Q4- What is the saving grace of democracy according to Lawrence Reed?
The saving grace of democracy is the Bill of Rights. It is the freedom of speech, religion, and to vote on whom you want to see as your leader. In general, it is having your freedom.
Freedom Is Not a
Doctrine
Q5- Richard Haas
gives two unusual reasons for advocating democracy. What are they?
One of the unusual
reasons for advocating democracy is if you promote democracy it can be a useful
component of the campaign against terrorism. Another reason is that mature
democracies usually don’t make war on one another.
Q6- Give two reasons you personally would promote democracy.
One reason I would promote democracy is it gives everybody human rights to
freedom of speech, religion, press, and protest and it also lets you elect your
leader instead of someone just getting into power through family or a military
overthrow.
Q7- Comment (any length)
on President Bush's current foreign policy.
President Bush’s
foreign policy is that the United States would support the growth and birth of
other democracy’s and institutions in every nation and culture in the world with
the main objective of ending tyranny completely in our world.
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 materialize 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")?
That they are people of
importance and rule us the people of the United States.
Q9- How did you interpret the megaphone, baby, knife/gun ("No matter how
officials are selected")?
I interpreted the
megaphone to be freedom of speech, and the baby I interpreted it to mean
everyone should have there kid and never resort to abortion. I feel the knife
and gun means right to bear arms in the United States.
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.
I discovered that Gary Johns is the chief of Australia’s IPA government Unit and that they are monitoring NGO relations within governments. I chose this particular article because I have always been fascinated with Australia and there political background.
http://ipa.org.au/units/governance.html
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.
China’s highest year was
2003 with a 6.0 and lowest was 1980 with a 4.0. Australia’s highest was in the
year 2000 with an 8.0 and lowest was 1975 with 6.2. Bahamas highest was in both
1975 and 2003 with a 6.7 and there lowest year for economic growth was 1990 with
6.2. Greece highest years were 2000, 2002, and 2003 with 6.9. The lowest year in
Greece was 1985 with a 5.2. Jamaica’s highest economic freedom came in the years
2000 and 2001with 7.0. Jamaica’s lowest economic freedom came in the year 1980
with 4.3.
Q12- Which of your five countries had the greatest degree of economic freedom
according to this exercise?
Australia had the greatest degree of economic freedom.
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.)
The summary rating was
8.0 and the rank was
10 of 123.