Newell-Fonda High School
Newell, Iowa
Teacher: Connie Doonan
America Stands for Capitalism
By: Zach Utech
12th Grade
Who should control the economy: the people, or the government? Capitalist countries are free and prosperous; however, socialist countries are poor and enslaved. Capitalism is defined as an economic system based on the private ownership of capital. Socialism is defined as an economic system based on state ownership of capital. Capitalist countries have survived better because the people are happier in a free state. In the past, socialist countries haven’t been good to the people, the fall of the Berlin wall and the Soviet Union are good examples of a socialist country. The United States is a capitalist country, and capitalist countries are better for the people because they allow them to be free, gain wealth, and pursue happiness.
In a socialist country everyone is said to be equal. Yes, everyone is equal but it takes away the will to compete against each other. In socialist countries the workers, rather than the rich, own production. Socialist societies are for the common good and not for individual profit. Sometimes the United States can seem like a socialist country. The government may sometimes take from the wealthy and give to the poor in such things as Medicare and welfare. Socialist societies allow people to not try, while still being equal with everyone else. People living in a socialist country are generally not happy. When comparing the United States to Russia, the population in the United States tends to like our government more than the Russians like theirs.
People living in a capitalist society are free. The United States was built on the fact that everyone should be free. Sure, it is said that everyone is created equal, but everyone knows that there are certain people that have the upper hand on everyone else. That is what makes America a great country; everyone strives to be the best that they can be because they know that it is possible to get ahead of everyone and have a very important role in their business, society, or even the government. In America everyone is free to either work or not work. However if a person doesn’t work, their life won’t be great. They don’t have to work at all if they so choose. In the United States, a person has the choice to get married or not, observe the religion of their choice, and to speak out against something that they don’t agree with. Americans have the opportunity to make the most of their lives.
Capitalism means liberty, and America stands for liberty. Most of the American society today is happy. The reason people are so happy with America is because they are free to make their own decisions. And, of course, in many cases, happiness is caused by wealth. If money is not an issue in a certain family, most likely the family will be happy. In America, a capitalist country, there aren’t as many regulations on what a person can do as there is in a socialist country. In this great country, a person can start their own business and gain as much wealth as they want, until they start running a monopoly, which rarely happens. A good example of an American who chose to get ahead of everyone is Bill Gates. Bill Gates founded the multi-billion dollar company known as Microsoft. Gates is now one of the richest people on the Earth. Sam Walton, who started Wal-Mart, was one of the most successful businessmen to ever live. Because those men lived in the United States, they had the opportunity to go above and beyond what everyone else wanted to do. In America those with the most will power and those people that have the ability and desire to work hard will succeed.
The United
States is a great country because anyone that wants to can have a great life and
be happy if they want. Being a socialist country may be a good way to make
everyone equal, but equal people are not free. In the United States, the
population is free to make whatever decisions they choose. Everyone is born with
certain unalienable rights, and everyone is able to do what they want until they
infringe on the rights of others. Capitalism in the United States is over 150
years old; comparing it to many socialist countries, which are only around fifty
years old, would be virtually impossible. It only makes sense that the people
have most of the control over the economy. If the United States was supposed to
be socialist, then the founding fathers of this country wouldn't have emphasized
the fact that the government should not be too powerful.
Answers To Questions Prompted By The Required Reading
Q1. What does Mr. Reed mean when he says "Equal people are not free."?
He means that nowhere in the world is there an equal amount of wealth and still freedom. If there is equal wealth then everyone does the same thing as everyone else.
Q2. What is the deadly trade-off to reliance upon government, according to Reed?
The trade-off is that the government will take more than it will give if there is too much reliance on it.
Q3. Why did the Founding Fathers assure that the United States became a republic rather than a pure democracy?
They wanted a republic because everyone has a say in almost all of the issues, and everyone can hold offices if they are selected.
Q4. What is the saving grace of democracy according to Lawrence Reed?
The system allows for political change without violence.
Q5. Richard Haas gives two unusual reasons for advocating democracy. What are they?
Democracy is important for foreign policy and it discourages terrorism.
Q6. Give two reasons you personally would promote democracy.
One reason would be that the people have a say in what is going on in their country. Another reason would be that people would be happier if they could control some of the issues and sometimes get what they want.
Q7. Comment (any length) on President Bush’s current foreign policy.
I feel that President Bush is trying way too hard to make everyone exactly like the United States. Some countries just don't want to be like the U.S. or have anything to do with the U.S. so I think that he should just let some of the countries do whatever they want.
Q8. How did you interpret each of the four different hats ("officials with fine hats")?
I felt that the crown meant officials are some kind of royalty and are popular, the top hats as sometimes they are friends and sometimes they are business men, and the graduation hat as success and knowledge.
Q9. How did you interpret the megaphone, baby, knife/gun ("No matter how many officials are selected")?
I felt that those things meant that officials could win elections by being born into the right family, speaking out in a way that makes potential voters like them, or by violence.
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=5226 I visited this site about obesity. I think the obesity issue in the United States is very important. The site said that although obesity is on the rise, deaths from cancer and heart attacks are at a steady decline.
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.
Bolivia - highest= 1995 and lowest= 1985
Brazil - highest= 2002 and lowest= 1985
Croatia - highest= 2001 and 2003 and lowest=1995
Singapore - highest= 1995 and lowest= 1975
Zimbabwe - highest= 1995 and lowest= 2002 and 2003
Q12. Which of your five countries had the greatest degree of economic freedom according to this exercise?
Singapore
Q13. What was the summary rating and ranking in the year it achieved this degree of economic freedom?
8.8 (2)