Newell, Iowa
Teacher: Connie Doonan
The U.S. Government
By Kevin Wells
12th Grade
Newell-Fonda High School
Newell, Iowa
Teacher: Connie
Doonan
The U.S.
Government
By Kevin Wells
12th Grade
How would most people like their country to be run? Would the people want
socialism or capitalism? Capitalism is a social system based on the recognition
of individual rights, including property rights, in which all property is
privately owned. Under capitalism the state is separated from economics,
production and trade, just like the state is separated from religion. It is the
system of political freedom. In contrast, socialism is a belief that the
national or local governments, rather than the people, should own the nation’s
resources and control their use. Socialists believe there should be public
ownership of land, factories, and all other sources of production. But the
United States is more capitalistic [than it is] Socialistic.
Capitalism has many benefits that socialism does not have like the economic
system is mainly run by individuals and private companies instead of by the
government. Since individuals run it, people can make a decision on what they
want to do for jobs and employers can make the decision on how much they want to
pay. This way the government has its powers and the public has its own powers.
The public can also make its own decisions as well, instead of being pressured
into making a decision they don’t want.
Socialism is run differently than what capitalism is. The goal of Socialism is
to put the major needs of production in the hands of the people, either directly
or through the government. Someone could get cut short of what he or she
deserves instead of getting all of what he or she deserves. Laborers may not
work as hard because a thriving business isn’t theirs. No matter how hard a
person works, all receive the same benefits so people don’t have the desire to
do their best at all times. People would complain that they wouldn’t have
enough freedom or enough things that they need. If the government would
regulate the private businesses, they would never have a chance to grow and get
bigger, so they owners would never get ahead in their business. Socialists
believe in free medical service to everyone. Many argue that the quality of
service is not as good with this type of system.
Capitalism works in a couple of different ways for individuals, businesses,
markets, income, and government. Individuals make a difference in the economy
by buying things or are considered consumers. The consumers will buy certain
things and the demand will go up. When the demand of some thing goes up, then
the production goes up and then the businesses start to benefit and grow.
Businesses buy the things that they need to make the items that are in demand.
When the businesses buy the things they need to make things, then they need to
hire people to make the items; this also helps the individuals because then they
have jobs and start to buy things. When businesses get done making products,
they need to get them into the market to be traded and sold. Services can also
be sold in the market. The services can also help out the individuals because
most services are carried out by individuals in their own businesses. When
people have a job, they then get money or at least a steady pay check so they
can start to spend it, and then they can help support the market and the other
businesses. Then the government lets the individuals use their own money and
property as they want and don’t pressure them into any thing, so then everyone
is happy.
There are a couple of different ways that the government could be run in the U.S....
Socialism would have some good things because the government would be involved
and help with all the major needs, but then they would get to powerful because
they would be telling small business that they can’t grow any more or sell any
more then any other small business of their type. If this happened then there
would be no room for them to grow and try to make a profit. Capitalism on the
other hand would be good for the U.S. because it lets the people decide what
they want to do when they want to do it. The government can’t tell a business
or an individual that they can’t make more money then what the next person can.
The businesses and individuals would then be able to grow and make a good profit
from their business or service. The United States in my opinion is that we are
a capitalistic [country].
Answers To Questions Prompted By The Required Reading
1- What does Mr. Reed mean when he says “Equal people are not free.”?
He means that in the marketplace people are not free because they do not make equal wages and do not have equal jobs. Some people have to work a lot harder and do not make as much money as some one who is sitting in an office. But if they didn’t need the high education they do not need to pay of college debt or at least as much.
2- What is the deadly trade-off to reliance upon government, according to Reed?
If you would rely on the government to much they could get to powerful and then the U.S. would not have the democracy that we have to day and then people would not have a say in what how they would like the government to be run so it is in their best interest.
3- Why did the Founding Fathers assure that the United States became a republic rather than a pre democracy?
The founding fathers did not want uneducated people making decisions. The reasons they say uneducated was because at that point in time most people were farmers that didn’t have any education so they wouldn’t be able to make the right decisions.
4- What is the saving grace of democracy according to Lawrence Reed?
People can make their own decisions with out being forced by another group or person.
5- Richard Haas gives two unusual reasons for advocating democracy. What are they?
Discourages terrorism and tends not to make war on each other.
6- Give two reasons you personally would promote democracy.
People vote and you have a say in every thing.
7- Comment on President Bush’s current foreign policy.
I dont think that President Bush always makes the right decisions with the foreign policies. He has made some good choices but most of the time he was just a little late in making the decisions.
8- How did you interpret each of the four different hats?
One thing people have to realize even though government officials have high positions they are just regular people that can’t force you to do any thing.
9- How did you interpret the megaphone, baby, knife/gun?
Officials can be elected in different ways.
Pakistan- There are many things holding businesses back in Pakistan, one would be the guards that stand outside every business and hinder their growth so it is hard for them to make money and grow as a business. http://asinstitute.org/page.php?instructions=page&page_id=505&nav_id=93
Belgium- Highest 1970, Lowest 1975
Brazil- Highest 2002, Lowest 1985
China- Highest 2003, Lowest 1980
Fiji- Highest 1995,2000,2002,2003, Lowest 1975
Chile- Highest 1995, Lowest 1975
Fiji- 2003