Burlington
High School
Burlington, Kansas
Teacher: Devra Parker
Which One Are
We More Alike
By
Wesley Joy
12th grade
Would you
rather have a Hitler socialistic economy or a George W. Bush capitalistic
economy? 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 is known as
Capitalism. Socialism is the exact opposite. …It is…a social organization in
which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by
a centralized government that…plans and controls the economy. I believe our
system of government [is] more [like] capitalism than socialism.
The…government doesn’t own the production and distributing of goods throughout
the U.S. In the US we have private ownership of businesses, corporate companies,
and in some ways a free market economy. From capitalism we get the idea of
trading. In our trading we have buyers and sellers [operating under the
principle of] supply and demand.
… As
citizens we have rights to choose any kind of job we want, be part of any
religion we choose, and most of all, speak our mind on what we think. Capitalism
is the same way. It allows individuals to pursue their dreams and their own
interest for themselves instead of having to do jobs for others [as] in a
socialistic…or…a communist society.
[Capitalism is based on]
the Free Market system. …[A] free
market…promotes cooperation between buyers and sellers. They will have to
cooperate because if the buyers won’t pay…the sellers [price for products],
nothing would get done. In the end [adjustments are made wherein]
sellers…cut…prices and buyers…raise their budgets. [A free market promotes]
economic growth, liberty, and innovation.
One of the
most essential and well known characteristics of capitalism and our government
is the ownership and protection of private property. …[There are other]
components of capitalism…in the U.S. In one day, there are 100’s of trades
being made between individuals and they do this by setting a price for [goods],
or bargaining with an interested customer in order to come up with a mutual
agreement on the price for the goods to be sold.
Profit is
defined by selling a product for more than it [cost] to produce. In
America,
everyone has the chance to do this by creating a new invention, discovering a
new idea, or just getting a job to produce income. Employees who work [for] a
company [often] make a …set wage. They can raise their [wage] by getting
bonuses and by [exhibiting] good work ethics and hard work.
[In the end I believe] our economy is a mix.
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 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")?
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 bare 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
their 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?
The summary rating was 8.0 and the rank was 10 of 123.
(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.)