As we are studying the consolidation of capitalism in class, I think it could be interesting that you express your opinion about some current news about the predominiant economic system in the world. There have been several interesting interventions about this topic in class and I've thought that maybe some of you would like to think more about it. I've read some recent articles that give an overview of how the economic system works. Here you have the links and some questions to think about:
- INEQUALITY: A report by Oxfam says that 1% of the world population holds half of the global wealth. Next year 1% of the population with own more wealth than the other 99%:
Source: http://www.oxfam.org/es/campanas/iguales/actua-contra-la-desigualdad-logremos-un-sistema-fiscal-mas-justo
My questions:
My questions:
How much is it necessary to have a good life? Do people need to accumulate capital in such way? How could wealth be distributed in a better way?
- POVERTY: many people think that poverty is a matter of will and poor people have this situation because they don't make an effort to improve. But the fact is that many poor people are workers, people who struggle, but don't make ends meet. Here you have a link about this fact in Spain. We don't have to look to other countries to find many poor people around:
http://www.eldiario.es/economia/crecimiento-PIB-basta-reducir-pobreza_0_355214906.html
http://www.eldiario.es/economia/crecimiento-PIB-basta-reducir-pobreza_0_355214906.html
My questions:
Is it fair that people who work don't even get the minimum resources to survive? Do you think poor people have what they deserve?
- PRIVILEGES: We studied in class that privileges disappeared with the Ancien Régime and now we all are equal before the law. But everyday the news show us cases of privileges, of unequal treatment to people depending on their origin or economic resources. Here you have another recent example:
My question:
Can we say that privileges have disappeared or are we rather living in a new-feudal society?
- ECONOMIC GROWTH: rulers say that economic growth is good for the country and the people. Economic growth is always measured in terms of percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But there are countries with high economic growth whose population doesn't receive any benefit from this growth.
http://www.expansion.com/2015/01/20/economia/1421724578.html
http://www.expansion.com/2015/01/20/economia/1421724578.html
Source: http://www.ektitli.org/2011/05/13/economic-development-vs-environment/
Source: http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/02/11/vinetas/1423674518_174612.html
Source: http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/02/11/vinetas/1423674518_174612.html
My questions:
What about the people? What happens if economic growth is high, but most of the population can't enjoy it? Is this good for humanity? What if economic growth endangers the survival of some species or the planet?
What would be the alternative for you? Could you think of a better economic system or the features a perfect economic system should have?
What would be the alternative for you? Could you think of a better economic system or the features a perfect economic system should have?
Come on! Dare to think!
I think that it's not necessary to have to much capitalism to have a good life, because normally the people always want more and more and they never want to stop to accumulate money, as we have spoken in class I don't think that we need all the things that we have aloways we thing that if we have those things we'll be happier, but I don't think that this is in that way because always there would be things that we coulnd't have.
ReplyDeleteDo people need to accumulate capital in such way?No they don't.But normally the people are teaching that the one that had more is the best, and the want to be the best ones.
How could wealth be distributed in a better way? Normally the ones that had more money pay less to the State, the best thing to do is that the one that recive a salary of 20.000 €(for exaple) pays more money to the State than the one who recived 2000€.
Is it fair that people who work don't even get the minimum resources to survive?No it's not faire. But most of the time those who get less are those who work harder. Do you think poor people have what they deserve?No, I don't thing so. The didn't have most of the things that they would like to have.
Can we say that privileges have disappeared or are we rather living in a new-feudal society? I don't think taht feudalism disspeared, we're living in a new-feudal society. The only thing that the rich person is not called noble or clergy. What happens if economic growth is high, but most of the population can't enjoy it?If the people couldn't enjoy it nothing happens, all the things would be in the same way.
Is this good for humanity?No it isn't.
What if economic growth endangers the survival of some species or the planet? I don't kown what would happen.
What would be the alternative for you? Could you think of a better economic system or the features a perfect economic system should have? This is very difficult to say first of all because not all the people do the same work, one part of the population are doctors , other part are builders, others are engineers and so one. For me the best thing that we could made is to take down one part of the salary of the famous people (football players, actors, mucisians,people that work in the mass media..) and pay more to those that save the life of other people,who work more hours per day, those who made some good for our planet as scientifics... That woul be one of the best things that in my opinion we could make.