AP+US+History+Summer+Homework


 * 1. What is capitalism?**

A: Capitalism is a type of economic system in which individuals have the opportunity to make money through the exploitation of others. It is the economic system that we currently use here in the United States. In capitalism, there are essentially two social classes: the capitalists, who control the trade in the system and make profits, and the working class, who are employed by the capitalists to produce the goods that are then sold for a profit. The capitalists use the services of the working class in order to make profits. This is a basic portrayal of the capitalist system. In order to survive in the capitalist class, its members must take advantage of the working class. In other words, in order for capitalism to work, there must be people who are poorer than others. It is important that people are socially unequal; this is required for capitalism to work. It is possible for a member of the working class to rise up to become a capitalist, but in order to do so they must push others down in their struggle to the top. Likewise, a capitalist must continue to step on the working class, exploiting them, or else he will fall down to their level. Capitalism is a system that encourages individuality; the individual can make money to satisfy himself, and only himself, as long as he works hard. This idea of self-benefit fits perfectly with the selfishness of human nature. Capitalism is an economic system in which those with power utilize those without it in order to maintain their wealth and make profits.

__Source:__ "What Is Capitalism?" //Answers.yourdictionary.com - Answers to Questions//. Web. 17 Aug. 2011. .


 * 2. What form of capitalism does the United States practice? What are the details of this form of capitalism?**

A: The United States practices capitalism in the form of a mixed economy. This means that the economy is controlled by both individuals and the government. Although private enterprises still make profits by benefiting off the common folk, the government is also involved in certain aspects of the economy. For example, in the United States, the government takes care of our healthcare, minimum wages, and regulates taxes. Government involvement in the economy tends to grant a fairer living experience to citizens. However, a disadvantage to this type of capitalism is that it the government usually gains more control over time, and individuals as a result have less freedom.

__Sources:__ "Does the United States Practice Pure Capitalism?" //Curiosity//. Web. 18 Aug. 2011. . "What Is a Mixed Economy?" //WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions//. Web. 18 Aug. 2011. .


 * 3. Why does the United States practice capitalism - why is it the system that the founders of the United States established?**

A: Although capitalism didn't officially begin in the United States until much later after the country was founded, our founding fathers established a foundation for capitalism by creating a framework for it in one of the most important documents our country has: the Declaration of Independence. The United States practices capitalism because it is the manifestation of the ideals of our founding fathers. These ideals can be found within the line "//We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness//." (quoted from Declaration of Independence). Capitalism is an economic system where any individual who works hard for a profit has a chance of becoming wealthy. The phrase "all men are created equal" demonstrates this component of capitalism because it gives everyone the chance to gain wealth, because everybody is equal, thus promoting hard work in exchange for profit. The rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" also tie in with capitalistic ideals. By being given the right to life, an individual has the right to decide what to do with his own life and control his own destiny. This corresponds with the capitalistic belief that man should be the ruler of his own destiny. The right of liberty allows man to do whatever he desires. It allows man to work for self-interest and profit, a capitalistic ideal. The right to pursue happiness allows man to do whatever he believes will bring him joy. This ties in with the capitalistic world, where individuals make decisions in the free market that they believe will fulfill their desires. In short, the United States practices capitalism because citizens have built on the capitalistic ideals that our forefathers laid out for us.

__**Sources:**__ "The Declaration of Independence and Capitalism | WhoVotedHow?" Web. 28 Aug. 2011. .


 * 4. What are the positives and negatives of having this economic system?**

A: Capitalism is but one of several economic systems in this world, and like all the rest, has its pros and cons. Capitalism revolves around individuals who own property, and utilize the services of others to gain even more property. Starting with the positive effects: Capitalism has allowed our society and economy to advance quite a long way. This is due to the fact that individuals under capitalism have opportunities to gain wealth. Individuals, no matter their social status, can make profit if they work hard. This belief leads to many people to go up the social ladder. Workers are more motivated to work efficiently in their lives. With the work inspired by capitalistic ideals, countries using this system progress quickly. Also, in capitalism, citizens are given more individual freedom; they can choose what they want to buy or how they want to make a living. It can be said that capitalism has improved the standard of living in the United States. There are always two sides to a coin. Capitalism also has many negative effects. People are very separated in terms of wealth in a capitalistic society; there is usually a very large gap between the rich and the poor. Workers may have opportunities to pursue a better life, but it may not be possible for them to do so because of financial issues or the like. The working class may also be taken advantage of by their employers in capitalism. Companies strive towards monopoly, leading to the downfall of competition, and due to human greed, charge high prices for products and pay workers less. Capitalism is not without its positives and negatives.

__Sources:__

Web. 28 Aug. 2011. . "Disadvantages Of Capitalism Discussed By Experts." //Global Capitalism- Economic System Of Private Ownership//. Web. 28 Aug. 2011. .


 * 5. What is democracy?**

A: Democracy is a form of government in which people have the power to make decisions. There are different types of democracy; power can be given directly to the people, or given to representatives elected by citizens. These are the two main types of democracy, called direct democracy and representative democracy, respectively. In a democracy, people have the right to have a say in what takes place in their lives. In order to do this, citizens must vote on decisions; each and every citizen has an equal say in the passing of a law or the electing of a representative. Democracy is closely interlocked with freedom. Citizens in a democracy are given the right to manage their own freedoms through the process known as voting.

__Sources:__

"What Is Democracy?" //America - Engaging the World - America.gov//. 03 May 2008. Web. 28 Aug. 2011. .


 * 6. What form of democracy does the United States practice? What are the details of this form of democracy?**

A: The United States practices representative democracy. Citizens retain their power to make decisions in the government, but on a somewhat lower scale. The citizens don't have a direct say in law-making; instead, they elect representatives to make decisions for them. These representatives in turn handle the decision-making and other tasks involved with the government. This form of democracy was created because it allowed better management and organization in countries with large populations, where there so many people that it would be difficult to keep track of everyone's opinions. Votes are held every once in a while, usually a couple of years, and the citizens can elect new representatives to represent them if the current representative had not satisfied them. A major concern with representative democracy is that representatives may not be very representative of the people; that is, the representatives may act upon their own decisions, which may betray the beliefs of the people who vote for them.

__Sources:__

"What Is Representative Democracy?" //WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions//. Web. 28 Aug. 2011. .


 * 7. Why does the United States practice democracy - why is it the system that the founders established?**

A: The United States has practiced democracy since its creation after its separation from Britain. The trigger for the creation of democracy was the American Revolution. This war began partly because of the ill treatment the colonists were given by their motherland. They were taxed on many items, and they weren't given a say in it. This taxation without representation struck the colonists as unjust, and they wanted a method through which they could have a say in the government. A perfect solution would be a democracy - every citizen would have equal representation in the government. The founding fathers wrote about their beliefs in a democracy in the Declaration of Independence, which contained democratic ideas influenced by European thinkers. With the formation of the country, a representative democracy was adopted, because the founders feared that a direct democracy would give citizens too much power. The United States practices democracy because the citizens wanted to take part in the government and control their own laws.

__Sources:__

"History of Democracy." //Library.thinkquest.org//. Web. 28 Aug. 2011. .


 * 8. What are the positives and negatives of having this system?**

A: A democracy is like a double edged sword. If "used" correctly, it can lead to satisfaction and benefits, but the opposite holds true as well. A positive aspect of democracy is the fact that everybody has equal say in the government, not just certain people. This leads to overall satisfaction of the citizens and promotes their freedom to decide on how they live their lives, as well as give equality to all citizens. It can create a country where everybody is happier. However, there can be a downside to this. If the citizens in a country aren't capable of making right decisions, for example, then they will influence the country badly with their votes. Some citizens may also abstain from voting. This course of action hurts a democracy, because the votes would not be a true representation of the population's desires. People may disagree with one another, and instead of joy, they may face disappointment that their opinions are in conflict with a majority of the country's decisions. Another fault with a democracy is that the votes of citizens may be very difficult to keep track of. This fault may have been corrected by a representative democracy, but in that case, the problem would lie in the representatives. The representatives representing the people they are assigned to may not make decisions that their supporters agree with. The pros of a democracy are that citizens can become involved in the government, which may grant satisfaction, while the cons of a democracy are the citizens may make poor decisions, not make use of their power, create conflict with each other, and the fact that representatives may not truly represent their people.

__Sources:__

"What Is Democracy?" //America - Engaging the World - America.gov//. 03 May 2008. Web. 28 Aug. 2011. . "What Is Representative Democracy?" //WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions//. Web. 28 Aug. 2011. .


 * 9. Please watch Michael Moore's 2009 documentary "Capitalism: A Love Story" and summarize 4 or 5 of his main points. Also, please critique his arguments - what does he leave out, what problems do you find with his approach, etc. Make sure you relate the film to your earlier research on capitalism and democracy.**

A: One of Michael Moore's main points in the film "Capitalism: A Love Story" is that companies take advantage of their workers and other individuals to make a profit. In one scene, there were testimonies from kids who were given unfair trials and sentenced to rehabilitation at juvenile facilities. They complained about how their appeal was tossed into the winds as they were sentenced without second thought. The truth of the matter was, the judges that had sentenced the kids had received bribes from the owners of the juvenile facilities. The rich owners utilized money in order to make a profit; by paying a bit to convince the judges to sentence the kids to the facilities, the owners would make a profit as the facilities were used. This was capitalism in action: those with money took advantage of those without it.

B: In the film, Michael Moore interviews Catholic priests about their opinion about capitalism from a religious standpoint. Moore states that American children have been fooled into believing that they were being dutiful to Christianity by engaging in capitalism. In order to find out whether or not the Bible really did support capitalism or not, Moore questioned priests about their views on capitalism. All the priests agreed that capitalism was against the teachings of Christianity, one priests stating that Jesus would "simply refuse to be a part of it". Michael Moore showed that contrary to popular belief, capitalism was not supported by Christianity. His point in interviewing priests was to show us that capitalism was an immoral system from a religious standpoint.

C: Michael Moore raised quite an interesting point about the young generation. He compared the younger, developing generations to Dr. Jonas Salk, who created the vaccine for polio. While Dr. Salk pursued science for the benefit of humanity and refused any kind of pay for his work, the younger generations pursue finance, seeking personal gain and to pay off their student loans. Young minds that have the potential for great scientific achievement instead go to finance, "instead of working for the common good". In fact, in order to make more money and profits, these young people are actually working in positions that are "actually disruptive, where actually, everyday they work, they make the world worse". This point of Moore's shows how the capitalistic system has corrupted our younger generations. Capitalism promotes self-gain and profit, demoting working for the common good in the process. It fuels the greedy human nature, causing a greater potential risk of ruining the world.

D: Michael Moore demonstrated his belief that capitalism should be scrapped, instead replaced by democracy. "Rule by the people, not the money". Moore supports this point by showing footage of a strike of the employees of a company named Republic Windows and Doors. After facing a mass layoff, the employees holed themselves up inside the building, refusing to leave until they were paid. Eventually, they succeeded in their goal. This shows how the power of the people succeeded in causing change. Also, there is footage of an engineering company named Isthmus. Each worker here "is an owner of the business", and each worker is given an equal say in decisions through voting. Michael Moore's point here was that if the country used democracy, equal power of the people, as an economical system, then the country can be led in the right direction.

E: Michael Moore's main point with all these facts is that capitalism is an evil that must be destroyed. It has led to foreclosures, exploitation of workers, and the loss of capable workers devoted to the common good. Capitalism has led to the creation of the fact that money is power, when in actuality, it should be the people.

Critique: I don't think that Michael Moore approached this topic with an open mind. It seemed as if he already was decided that capitalism was an evil that we must have disposed of. I say this because this film attacked capitalism negatively. It didn't bother showing how capitalism could be beneficial to our country. In my research, I found that capitalism had its pros, not just cons. This film skipped over the pros and just went with the cons. Also, I find a problem with how Moore said that democracy should replace capitalism. How is that possible, when democracy is a political system while capitalism is an economic system? However, I did think that this film was quite convincing; if a person was on the verge of believing that capitalism was an evil, then this film would have persuaded them completely. Although I agree that capitalism would result in less people working for the common good, even if we were rid of it, would there be any difference? Capitalism is what motivates the younger generation to work hard. If we didn't have capitalism, is there a guarantee that there will be more scientists that can contribute to the common good? I think that the selfishness of human nature would continue to prompt people to take up jobs in finance, where they could reap better benefits.

__Sources:__

2011, DocumentaryHeaven ©. "Capitalism: A Love Story." //Documentary Heaven | Watch Free Documentaries Online//. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. .


 * 10. What is the relationship between capitalism and democracy? How do they work together, how do their principles coincide and how do they oppose each other?**

A: Capitalism is an economic system while democracy is a political system. Many countries tend to use the combination of these two systems. One of these said countries is the United States. The basics of capitalism are that the social classes must be unequal and that people have the opportunity to make a profit. In democracy, the basics are that everybody has an equal right of voting and that they have an opportunity to protect their freedom and lifestyle. Economists say that democracy rose with capitalism, and that the latter needs the former to survive. Their principles coincide because capitalism focuses on inequality while democracy focuses on equality. According to Michael Moore, capitalism is "rule by the money", while democracy is "rule by the people". He states that rich people have only 1% of our country's votes while the rest have 99%. From a democratic perspective, the commoners have much more power than the rich. On the other hand, the rich have much more power from a capitalistic viewpoint. These two systems seem to balance the power in the hands of the different social classes. However, each side has the power to demolish the other; if the commoners get fed up with the rich, then through voting they can create changes that will benefit themselves. The rich can use their money to further benefit themselves. If one side decides to take action, then the other will retaliate. This may create a social uproar that will threaten to destroy both systems.

__Sources:__

2011, DocumentaryHeaven ©. "Capitalism: A Love Story." //Documentary Heaven | Watch Free Documentaries Online//. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. . Cereijo, Manuel. "CAPITALISM AND DEMOCRACY." //Guaracabuya, Revista Electronica//. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. . "Democracy and Capitalism." //The Ethical Spectacle//. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. .