Economic Systems, Capitalism And Socialism - 1829 Words

Economic Systems People can use economic systems to build empires and destroy civilizations. The society s featured in the books 1984 by George Orwell and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury did just that. Both took advantage of some form of an economic system to achieve their respective goals. Whether it be the command economy of Oceania, or the overly consumerist economy of the dystopian United States, they both employed economics to their benefit. Economics is the science of scarcity. Scarcity is when you have a population with unlimited wants coupled with limited resources. Economics deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. An economic system is how a society deals with these factors. The three main questions that an economic system is supposed to answer are what will we produce? how will we produce it? who gets it? Answer these questions and you have an economic system (Hettige). This report will cover the two main economic systems, capitalism and socialism. Capitalism Capitalism promotes private ownership of the means of production, or resources, to produce goods and services for profit. In other terms, private entities purchase resources; be it labor, natural resources, or factories to create goods to sell for profit. Capitalism promotes that people build up their own wealth and that all, or most, available resources be privately owned. Production in capitalism is controlled by supply and demand and individuals purchase products onShow MoreRelatedEconomic Systems: Socialism and Capitalism Essay1018 Words   |  5 Pagesrelative merits of socialism vs. capitalism, the chief debates that come up are †¢ What would happen if we remove the stimulus for innovation and productivity that a free market generates? This implies having a free market including individual ownership and control, and to varying degrees a laissez-faire government. †¢ Would it be possible to have a thriving society in which we would not have 20% of the population living in poverty and without adequate healthcare, housing or economic security? FundamentallyRead MoreEconomic Systems: Capitalism, Communism and Socialism814 Words   |  3 PagesEconomic Systems 04/22/2014 Throughout history, nations or regions have supported different economic systems. Economic systems control the political economy, markets, consumer and public economics, national income, natural resources and other aspects. The economic systems lead the country towards its flourished and depraved situations. The systems also provide the type of business and government imposed on the societies and the country. Some of the economic systems are capitalism, communismRead MoreComparing Capitalism and Socialism730 Words   |  3 Pagesdominant economic systems we have in the world today are socialism and capitalism. In this text, I will in addition to comparing and contrasting socialism and capitalism also discuss the shortcomings of these two economic systems. Further, amongst other things, I will highlight the overlaps between the two. Capitalism vs. Socialism In seeking to highlight the key differences between socialism and capitalism, it would be prudent to first offer a concise definition of the two terms. Capitalism in theRead MoreEconomics Is The Science Of Scarcity1728 Words   |  7 PagesEconomics is the science of scarcity. Scarcity is when you have a population with unlimited wants coupled with limited resources. Essentially, economics deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The societies in the books 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 both take advantage of some form of an economic system, whether it be the command economy of Oceania, or the overly consumerist economy of the dystopian United States. An economic system is how a society deals with theseRead MoreSocialism And The Second Is Capitalism922 Words   |  4 Pages There are to forms of economic systems that will be explained in the paper. Both of the topics will be about the origins of each form of economic system, what each hopes to achieve, and the pros and cons. The first is going to talk about socialism and the second is capitalism. Socialism is a government run by the public rather than by private individuals. Thus, in a socialistic country, the common public owns the factors of production and makes economic decisions. Therefore individuals do not workRead MoreEssay The Efficiency of Economic Systems959 Words   |  4 Pagesthe differences between capitalism and socialism have led to contradictions in several countries on how to run the country economically, socially, and politically. Between these two economic systems, people usually debate about the role of the government and economic equality. Although, capitalism and socialism have similar characteristics, the differences between capitalism and socialism make capitalism a better way of life. Most importantly, both socialism and capitalism have established effectiveRead MoreCapitalism Vs. Socialism : The Transitional Period Between Capitalism And Communism1330 Words   |  6 PagesCapitalism versus Socialism In the theories developed by Karl Marx, socialism is considered the transitional period between capitalism and communism. For a long time, capitalism versus socialism has been argued and debated. Socialism is an economic system in which goods and services are provided through a central system of government and aims to make everyone equal. They have different forms of socialism that have different beliefs. Some of the biggest disadvantages of socialism are that it reliesRead MoreCapitalism And The United States1549 Words   |  7 PagesCapitalism first originated in Western Europe when merchants would take their products and sell them to the public. From here, capitalism spread to the United States through colonization and over time, assisted in the enhancement of the United States’ economy. When other countries, like the UK and France, had seen this success, they also wanted their economy to be structured similarly to the United States’. For the sake of having a fixed definition of capitalism, it can be defined as an economicRead MoreCommunism, Capitalism, and Socialism Essay652 Words   |  3 PagesThree different types of economic systems used by governments are Communism, Capitalism, and Socialism. Each type of system is unique in different ways. Each has distinct aspects that make it what it is. In communism, the government runs everything and there are no social classes. The government in capitalism doesn’t interfere with any businesses and lets the citizens own and operate them. Socialism is basically a mixture of the two economic systems. The government runs certain businesses,Read MoreSocialism And The Economic System1373 Words   |  6 PagesSocialism serves to satisfy many philosophical questions therefore making it an ideal position in the economic justice debate. In looking into this position we find satisfaction in the answers it affords us. Socialism fulfills the innate responsibility of the government to care for its people. Moreover, aside from fulfilling this responsibility, socialism is the economic system that delivers the highest benefit as applied to the whole. The importance of these answers is that the primary question

The tale of Beowulf Free Essays

The tale of Beowulf begins and ends with the funeral of great kings. The funerals represented in this tale are decorated with rites that derive from the cultural traditions of the kings being laid to rest. Scyld Scefing is entombed within a barge decorated with signs of his accomplishments, while We will write a custom essay sample on The tale of Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now com/beowulf-as-an-epic-hero/"Beowulf is enshrined within a barrow filled with relics of his rule. Yet within these traditional burials one can find traces of the men themselves as each makes requests that lead to the distinctiveness of their burials. This allows the funerals to become particularly distinctive as the author makes use of the elements, such as earth, fire, and water (Smith). Each funeral defines the symbolic ideas of motion versus grounded-ness represented in the lives of these two men, and the method in which each is carried out emphasizes the opposite ways in which they entered their lands and mounted their thrones. The funerals of both men are representative of their personalities as shown through their deeds and the ways in which they lived their lives. Though both men were valiant warriors and kings, their lives as youths and kings appear to be very different. The movement characteristic of Scyld Scefing’s funeral represents a continuation of the boldness and vigor with which he sailed through life. His life was continually one of forward motion from low to high estate, and he does not cease this motion in his death. The poem continues, â€Å"Forth he fared at the fated moment, sturdy Scyld to the shelter of God† (lines 26-27). His clansmen and subjects seem determined that their king should keep moving though he has been cut off from life, as they immediately â€Å"bore him over to ocean’s billow† (line 28). He is placed on a barge that is taken by the floods to an even higher and more celebrated place, and the words used by the author to describe this continue this motif of motion to an even higher estate. Such words and phrases as â€Å"outbound† highlight this motion, and as â€Å"No man is able to say in sooth [†¦] who harbored that freight,† his burial demonstrates that his resting place could mean yet another promotion for this king who had risen from foundling to royalty. The funeral given Beowulf differs greatly from that granted Scyld Scefing. Beowulf’s rites represent that of a more grounded king who had been home grown and bred specifically to become royalty. His funeral demonstrates no great motion, as his lineage is anchored and steeped in royalty. The rites take place within the land of his birth, and his tomb is laid upon a foundation of the soil upon which his ancestors walked. The writer establishes this in his recounting of the events: â€Å"They fashioned for him the folk of Geats firm on the earth a funeral-pile† (line 2821). The firmness with which this tomb is established upon the earth symbolizes the strength of Beowulf’s roots within his homeland. Around this is erected a wall, and this further strengthen’s Beowulf’s position as a foundational leader of his land. The monuments given to house this leader are built into the ground of the kingdom and given foundations akin to the roots that one finds in Beowulf’s lineage. His burial is akin to burying treasure (gold and precious stones), â€Å"trusting the ground with treasures of earls, gold in the earth† (2850), and this is in essence an act of giving back to the earth the treasure it has afforded. The funerals of Scefing and Beowulf also differ in the elements that attend each. According to critic George Clark in his essay â€Å"Beowulf’s Armor, † â€Å"Each funeral places the final offering of arms and armor and treasure in the context of one of the elements, water, fire, or earth† (429). While water is the dominant element in Scefing’s funeral, fire is used to herald the burial of Beowulf. The significance of the water for Scefing derives mainly from his history, as he was borne to the Danes on a small vessel as an abandoned infant. The water represents the deep, the void from which the king came and to which he is allowed to return. The story comes full circle for this king, as he is again borne away at the end of his life, given back to the water that offered him to the Danes. This is done on purpose by his clansmen, and highlighted by the narrator who writes, â€Å"No less these loaded the lordly gifts, thanes’ huge treasure, than those had done who in former time forth had sent him sole on the seas, a suckling child† (lines 43-46). He is again sent by himself â€Å"on the seas† into the unknown belly of the flood which had offered him up as a child. The fire for Beowulf is the opposite of this water, and this might also be seen as a reference to difference in his birth and youth. However, the narrative continues, â€Å"Wood-smoke rose black over blaze, and blent was the roar of flame with weeping (the wind was still), till the fire had broken the frame of bones† (2827-30). While the water takes Scefing away from the land, Beowulf’s fire offers up incense that rises and, as the ashes fall, remains forever mingled with the soil in the land of his birth. The narrator mentions that the wind was still, emphasizing the idea that no part of Beowulf’s burnt body or ashes is allowed to fly beyond the land of his birth and rule. He utterly belongs to this land, and the roaring of the fire becomes a dirge that rises and mingles with the sound of his subjects’ weeping. Yet the reader gets the feeling that Beowulf is not lost to his people. This fire is allowed to burn beyond Beowulf’s bones, consuming his flesh and, as â€Å"the smoke was by the sky devoured† (2838), the fire sends up Beowulf’s essence as a protection and covering for his land and people. Though the lives of Scefing and Beowulf were similar in many ways, they also differed in some very significant areas that have to do with how they came to be king. While Scefing begins life as a foundling and sustains upward motion that raises him to the estate of ruler, Beowulf is born a prince whose roots are grounded in his homeland. The elements used to represent these two men are also representative of their origins. Water is used to symbolize the rootless Scefing, while fire and earth symbolize Beowulf’s grounded ancestry. Both men are treasured by their people, yet allowed to fulfill their destinies by drifting or remaining rooted as has been their custom. Works Cited Beowulf. The Harvard Classics, Volume 49. Frances B. Grummere (Trans. ) 1910. P. F. Collier Son, 1993. Clark, George. â€Å"Beowulf’s Armor. † ELH. Vol. 32. No. 4. Dec. 1965. pp. 409-441. Smith, Jennifer. â€Å"Paradise Lost and Beowulf: The Christian/Pagan Hybrids of the Epic Tradition. † Department of English. Long Beach: California State University. http://www. csulb. edu/~jsmith10/miltbeow. htm How to cite The tale of Beowulf, Papers

Changing Perspectives free essay sample

Abigail McNeely Changing Perspective People, especially diverse people of contemporary times commonly look at other people, situations, or life events with different perspectives. Sometimes looking at other people, situations, and life events with different perspectives cause people to make snap judgments without factual knowledge. Contributors such as personal beliefs, religion, culture, mood, personality, and relative situations can influence an interpretation of a person or event, cause a snap judgment, or possibly change another perspective.Other contributors that add influence to the common influences of perspectives and judgments are environments and life satisfaction. Consider the following scenario that two people may view differently: An elderly Caucasian women and man, for example, rent apartments in a small Caucasian village. An interracial (Black and White) couple with three children respond to the advertisement for one of the elderly couple’s three bedroom apartments. When the responding couple arrives to view the apartment the elderly man hands the couple a rental application and says â€Å"We will let you know about the apartment after we review the application. The elderly women however demonstrates a willingness to rent the apartment immediately to the family. After the meeting the elderly man states â€Å"I do not believe they are the type of people to rent to† and the women states â€Å"just because they are multiracial does not mean they will not be good tenants. † The man in this situation appears to make a snap judgment concerning the possible tenancy in relation to that the family is multiracial whereas the women is looking at the tenancy without considering multiracialism.Viewing the apartment rental scenario from the elderly man’s perspective can include one or more influences. For example the elderly man’s personal perspective can reflect beliefs such as multiracialism represents the pollution of the white race or designating Blacks to a lower status than Whites. These beliefs include thoughts of the family neglecting the apartment or failing to pay the rent. These beliefs open the possibility of using the application as a reference to abolish or enhance these thoughts.The man’s personal beliefs may even go deeper for instance in Sweden â€Å"Race realists often argue that innate, genetically rooted differences in intelligence and individual character help explain both interracial relations and culture/behavioral differences between all races† (Elliot Lake News Views, 2001). Whether the man’s views stem from an example of personal beliefs, which are innate through learning experiences or a genetic inheritance that reflects personality, the snap judgment can stem from one or more of these influences.Because innate or genetic influences reflect individual personality, a disruption in mood is a possibility in considering the man’s perspective. However, other mood alteration with no relevance to personality is possib le too. Additionally, the couple are elderly and are likely to learn from other situations and experiences. The elderly man may base his views on a previous people, situations, and experiences with multiracialism such as news stories concerning racism and violence or here say from fellow landlords.Religiously the man’s perspective may be as simple as this type of situation goes against the grain of his religious beliefs. From the women’s perspective the influences that play a role can be a result of changing perspectives and discrimination is an exclusion to the apartment tenancy. The woman may have more knowledge about changing times and that her husband builds his views about Blacks living and financial situations according to significant poverty levels of Blacks. Although her personal beliefs can be significantly opposite of the man’s personal beliefs.Diversity from a personal perspective may intrigue the elderly woman. For instance, many individuals who accept diversity may enjoy learning and comparing diverse cultures or believe a combination of races enhances be auty inside and out. The woman’s personal beliefs can be innate from learning experiences or a genetic inheritance that reflects her personality type. Innate learning experiences or genetic inheritances of accepting people of any race is possible in making a snap judgment to rent the apartment to the multiracial family.The family inquiring about the apartment rental may have an influence regarding the woman’s mood too. Something in the situation such as politeness and enjoying the company of the children in the family may have set the motion for the woman’s mood. Another spark in the woman’s mood can be a reflection of her own children and family situations. Remembering her past, for example, maybe the woman and her husband are immigrants from the Old World and difficulties with living arrangements were part of her early family experiences.Another example of personal experience can be knowledge to a similar situation quite rewarding in one way or another. Religiously the woman in the scenario can similarly view the situation as going against the grain but from a different perspective such as going against the grain of her higher power and accepting all individuals. Many factors contribute to what influences individual perspectives and subsequent judgments according to the perspectives. Commonly one influence can lead to another influence, for example, innateness, and genetics can reflect personal beliefs, personality, culture, or religion.Coincidentally, personality can reflect mood and relative situations. On the other hand, mood, and relative situations can reflect personal beliefs, personality, culture, or religion. Individualism is vastly diverse and sometimes the aspects of individualism such as perspectives and snap judgments is a reflection of one’s well-being. Shaping one’s well-being does not only depend on innate or genetic factors but environmental aspects life satisfaction are inclusive to well-being. Individual happiness fosters counterpart happiness, for example, the man in the situation may not endure happiness therefore he is not able to foster counterpart happiness. â€Å"Happiness is one of life’s most important goals† (Bolt, pg. 123, 2004). However, â€Å"Gender, age, race, formal education, and income level seem to make little difference in people’s level of happiness† (Bolt, pg. 123, 2004). The different views between the man and woman renting the apartment can have significant relevance to individual happiness and the fostering environments of happiness.In the long term the woman may encourage the man to change his perspective on the multiracial family through her own well-being because some individuals need people to aide in fostering a personal well-being.