The Importance Of Capitalism In Democracy

have chosen my topic as “Is Democratic Capitalism really democratic?” since I am currently learning about the globalization and I think it is a very interesting topic to study about. To study about globalization, capitalism is something that must be acknowledged in prior because it is the universal, and core mechanic of globalization. Many of the democratic countries have adapted capitalism to operate their economic system which values market activities as the most important driving force. (“Section On The Political Economy of The World-System”, 2015) Market is operated by diverse companies that are rooted not only from the country but also from other foreign countries which makes it sense that all ideologies, cultures and commodities of different

nation's great cities and as oil refining rose so did the popularity of the automobile. With these

The American political system is built on simple but revolutionary principles from our founding Fathers. These principles state that self-governance is an absolute right and the governments purpose is to serve the interests of the people. Characteristics which are essential to a healthy, functioning democracy. But America has stumbled upon a formidable roadblock to the realization of our founding fathers dream, as Lincoln said, of a country that is "of the people, by the people and for the people"( Citizens at Work, 2003). There are many factors that distort this reality and the main

“A Federalist representative democracy requires both personal responsibility and social responsibility of its citizens through personal involvement in the democratic process and the understanding that there are many interests to consider in a democracy.”, agreeing to the quoted statement, the United States was established as a democracy by its ancestors to give the citizens the freedom and equality they deserved. One of the biggest things that eventually came from this was the right for American citizens over 18 to vote when the 26th Amendment was added in 1971. As a country that runs by the people, it is important for all citizens to understand how voting is not just a right, but a responsibility.

Capitalism is an omnipresent system that has taken on many unique and defined forms throughout its existence. While capitalism comes in a variety of disguises, one thing about capitalism has always remained the same – the nature of its selfish being. Capitalism thrives on hard work. Individuals that work hard will undoubtedly be rewarded. On the contrary, those that are not able to work are left in a dreadful predicament. Even with two distinct versions of capitalism – plain capitalism and democratic capitalism – both involve the necessary component of free enterprise. Capitalism considers free enterprise something to be achieved individually with rewards intended for just oneself. Adam Smith came along and challenged that notation

When addressing the fallacies of the American government today, one should question whether it’s supposed, ideal principles are implemented justly. Theoretically, the people of the government and the government itself are to be held accountable for the installment of constitutional values. John Locke describes this political obligation as the social contract, in which those governed surrender their power in return for protection. In terms of democracy, however, the primary duty of the governed is to participate in popular sovereignty and the duty of the government is to fulfill the wishes of the people. Thomas Jefferson explains that democracy is “...a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly

In a pluralist country such as America, there are numerous opinions over what society's goals should be, and the best method of achieving them. In theory, every American citizen has an equal say in the political affairs of this county. By participating in politics, people air their voices and thereby contribute to nation through representatives, hence the term representative democracy. It may seem to be beyond argument that political participation is a key objective in all democratic institutions. However, there is room for legitimate disagreement about the health of our democracy, in regards to the extent of civic participation. This raises the important question of how much participation there actually

Today, our nation 's democracy is unarguably only alive on a small scale. Much of America 's population, does not uphold a civic role that consistently supplements a successful democracy. Corruption of democracy stems directly from Americans not being able to actively take responsibility for their own society or their own futures. As a result of individuals lacking responsibility in various ways, flaws in our society continue to define everything we are as part of America. Everyone in the country can uphold simple civic responsibilities, without deviating from daily routine. By misunderstanding patriotism, not participating in the government, causing tension between ideologies, and ignoring the significance of community, we are not

"Democratic capitalism has three unequalled strengths. It is the only system that achieves both economic growth and individual freedom, and it adapts to the many diverse cultures in the world... Democracy works to remove the most common criticism of capitalism that it generates inequality in income distribution." (Metzer, 1995)

It is the citizens of the United States of America responsibility to vote for their officials they believe closely represent their beliefs and ideals. Without fulfilling their responsibilities, the government is not technically run by the consent of the people. Often times, people who hear “participating in the community” usually think along the lines of volunteering. The most common way to participate is to volunteer at local homeless shelters, food banks, animal shelters, local libraries, museums, nursing homes, etc. (Colley). Since most people know participation is not a requirement, thousands of citizens neglect their responsibility as a citizen to be a faithful participant in the government. Encouraging others to participate is a way to help improve the society by encouraging different types of people to become involved. It is common for different people with a different socioeconomic status to have different viewpoints about participation. The upper class of citizens normally have two main mentalites. The

Perrin defines democracy as, “the back- and- forth interactions among citizens and institutions of government, structured through rules, ideas, and technologies”. In the prominent book, American Democracy, sociological professor Andrew J Perrin analyzes the current discussions and concerns about the core of American Democracy. Perrin studies and teaches democratic citizenship in the United States and focuses on what people should know and do in order to make democracy work. The main purpose of the book is to show that democracy along with representation are first social and cultural concepts, then they are political ones. This book is vastly significant because it demonstrates an ingenious approach to democracy and the role that the citizens should have.

In my understanding, as a citizen of United States it is our responsibility to be an informed participant rather than spectator or just a consumer. We have the capability to make changes using our collective rights. Not a purely democratic country the citizen of the United States of America's has the power to decide the policy directly through town hall meeting, while the United State Government is a republic where the people elect a representative to make policy decision in their behalf. On the other hand, some states practice pure democracy in some extent via ballot initiatives or referendum on policy questions.

Benjamin Barber classifies democracy into two, the classic democracy, which he calls “Thin” democracy, and the strong democracy. Thin democracy is where representatives are chosen by the individual citizen to go make the law. He terms this as individualistic and from this perspective the citizen does not get to participate actively in the making of laws which run his or her society. However, strong democracy is where citizens govern themselves to a certain degree without selecting individuals and bombarding them with responsibilities and obligations. It requires individuals to embrace politics as citizenship and make it a part of their life as if it was like parenting, which makes citizens an

This paradox presented by the United States exemplifies the conflicts and struggles faced by many democratic countries. As the country moves increasingly from a homogenous, Anglo-Saxon dominated state into a heterogenous, multicultural “beacon of freedom”, conflicts occur between diverse values and beliefs, making it difficult to balance the views of majority and minority. This leads to critics accusing the United States of being contradictory, if not hypocritical, but many fail to address the increasing complexity of modern global society and the difficulty, if not implausibility, of having principles overriding needs. There is no perfect democracy, no nation or system that can uphold its foundational, ideal values without some compromises. After all, the ideal principles can only be attained in a perfect, utopian world, and as long as those who construct and comprise such societies are flawed, so too will be their

Capitalism is a subject that can be considered deeply controversial. There are many who tout the benefits that capitalism provides to the economy and the progress of human society. There are others who decry that it is a system which promotes selfish motives and extols profits above honesty and genuine goodness. This essay will examine the claims of each and will reach to conclude the answer to the question “is capitalism good?”