Issues Concerning Economic Inequalities in America - Term Paper Example

 Introduction Julian Edney’s essay on human emotions looks at the concept of greed with particular focus on the US society. The author apparently provides a bleak picture, where the society is being influenced by lack of values. He seems to state that the society is deteriorating in terms of human values and the concept of greed is becoming apparent with regard to many societal factors like fame, money, or in essence, following the idea of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. In this regard, Edney provides several parameters that according to the author that fuels this greed. He starts with the concept of imbalance between the rich and the poor. Being economically poor is seen as a sign of weakness and stigma. Hence the author argues that people resort to unethical practices in order to avoid this stigma which in effect translates to the concept of greed. Medina, John, The genetic inferno: inside the seven deadly sins, Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print. His essay apparently provides a lot of parameters that promote greed, but does not seem to provide any scientific grounding on why this happens in any society. The element that may support this outlook can be seen from the fact that no real scientific evidence has been established as to why a particular individual, a group, society or even animals succumb to this concept of greed. John Medina, in his book ‘The genetic inferno: inside the seven deadly sins’ specifically focuses on the aspects of greed and the resulting avarice. “The problem is that no one has ever found a gene for avarice in human beings. No one has ever found a region in the human brain exclusively devoted to greed for that matter” (Medina. 110). Medina is a molecular biologist and hence considered for this paper as an eminently qualified person to provide opinions and suggestions on the topic under study. The book is published by the Cambridge University Press and one that has an established reputation. The only negative factor seen in the text is that no peer reviewed work in the book. But even so, the author with his qualifications and the backing of the Oxford University can be seen as a valuable source of secondary literature regarding this study. The lack of scientific evidence as to what constitutes greed has been established in the book. Edney, in his essay also does not purport any claim in this regard. Stilwell J. B. F., Argyrous, G. Economics as a social science: readings in political economy. Edn.2. Illustrated. Pluto Press Australia, 2003. Print. Examining the essay Greed-II reader can easily comprehend the fact that author made a conscious effort to explore the dilemma of economic imbalances or economic inequality which raised severe social problems in the United States. In their collaborative effort entitled Economics as a social science: readings in political economy, Frank J. B. Stilwell and George Argyrous clearly analyze the problem of economic imbalances and how developing countries handle this issue and how it affects the socio-economic status of these nations? The book is highly useful for researchers as well a reader having the interest to know about the issue of economic inequality. Reader can find valuable information with solid statistical evidence and that becomes an asset for future studies. The book underlines the fact that there have a considering number of poor people who suffered with vulnerable lifestyle in developing countries such as America, Australia, and Britain. They also describe its various socio-economic effects in these nations. Frank J. B. Stilwell and George Argyrous examine; “Meanwhile, increasing economic inequality generates social costs associated with crime, ill health, and threats to social cohesion” (Stilwell& Argyrous 31). One of the major disadvantages of this book is the reader cannot find sufficient knowledge or data about the major causes of economic imbalances. Authors provide some information about the causes of economic inequality in their book but they are not fully effective for a researcher. The straight forward style and detailed analysis of various topics and sub topics permit the reader to gather information. Pizzigati., Sam. Greed and good: understanding and overcoming the inequality that limits our lives. The Apex Press, 2004. Print. Edney in his essay, Greed II, Is exploitation wrong, has identified greed as the root cause for economic inequality. The greed of the man to hoard more and more wealth will certainly divide people into two layers, the haves and the have notes. One of the similar types of study can be found in the book, Greed and good: understanding and overcoming the inequality that limits our lives by Sam Pizzigati. Here the author makes a clear assessment about how greed leads one to richness. The presentation of the various data showing the inequality between the poor and the rich in United States are capable for one have a picture of the basic difference in the percentage of the poor and the rich. One of the studies mentioned in the book writes, “According to the United Nations, the richest 5% of the world’s people at the start of this century had incomes estimated 114 times those of the poorest” (Pizzigati 31). The above data enable the researcher to identify that the gap between the poor and the rich has considerably increased during these days. Regarding this book, one can see that this book can be used as a guide for those who are interested in the difference between the inequalities existing among American people Tadjbakhsh and Chenoy. Human security: concepts and implications. Edn. Illustrated. Taylor & Francis, 2007. Print. Social inequalities often cause for various social conflicts. Tadjbakhsh and Chenoy’s book, “Human security: concepts and implications” explain it clearly when they said; “…the failure of the contract between states and citizens like inequalities, weak institutions, poverty and lack of social services are root causes for conflict” (Tadjbakhsh & Chenoy 150). This book is rich in its content and the subject and can be included among those books. Research Report Julian Edney’s essay, Greed II- Is exploitation wrong, explores certain factors concerning various inequalities in the society. This essay can be regarded as a comprehensive treatise that evaluates class divisions in the society based on wealth and material concerns. The essayist is unveiling the reasons or the factors promoting economic inequalities and rightly observes in the very beginning that “This is not the first time the nation has produced economic inequalities” (Edney 30). Edney has identified that the modern world versus the values of democracy where majority of the men are self-interested. Such men are ready to perform any evil deed, if they are sure that they can attain or hoard more wealth. Edney could not find any moral values in the perception of the modern men who, in his opinion, “are emerging from an era with no clear ideology, but an era in which materialism and business has expanded powerfully and internationally, and out of the vacuum two old, discredited ideologies, laissez-faire and Social Darwinism appear to be rising again in modern guise” (Edney 30). The modern world is so materialistic that it paves the way for the two old theories; laissez-faire and Social Darwinism. The essayist has conducted the study on the grounds that greed has become a force creating precipitous inequalities but even then the modern world is unwilling to consider it as a moral wrong. The critical evaluation of the essay will reveal certain other factors that the essayist has arranged under various sub-headings. The essayist begins the first paragraph by criticizing the modern men’s fascination towards capitalism. In order to make it clear, Edney resorts to the examples of modern media that goes behind the glitter. The different programs and the advertisements appearing in television— one of the most influential media of modern times, bewitch its audience with such a glitter. For the essayist, modern media are the spokespersons of market capitalism. The observation of the essayist is noteworthy when he rightly judged as; “the economy is ever expanding, its power is unparalleled, we are now spreading free market capitalism around the globe, bringing unimagined wealth and improvement to mud-level nations and countries sucked out by socialism, raising everybody, because that’s what capitalism does” (Edney 30). Therefore, one can find Edney’s previously stated views as getting affirmed. Edney has also identified that the contrast between poor and rich grows by creating inequality. The essayist has arranged the topic under various headings to make clear his evaluation. Thus the first heading, ‘Has everybody been raised here?’ undoubtedly proves the hypocrite face of nations that hide the reality form the public eye. No tourist will be able to expose the real poverty that the media and the government awash everything from the public eye. The essayist presents factual information to prove the inequality between the poor and the rich. He makes it clear in the section, ‘Imbalance’ by referring to the study of the sociologist Steven Rose. As per the study, it is evident that the average income in half of the nation is lower than the average of the highest and lowest family income. This is also quite notable that “…despite the prodigious numbers of poor, housing for them is so scarce that of the 3,141 counties in the United States, in only 4 can a person making minimum wage afford a one-bedroom apartment” (Edney 31). Analyzing this study, it is certain that the essayist has attempted his best to gather sufficient materials. The section entitled; ‘Tinkering’ also makes a clear assessment about the American economy. “The dollar has dropped to a fraction of what it was worth thirty years ago,” Edney adds. The national trade deficit is another issue that he brings to our attention. Regarding the personal debts and bankruptcies in the country, one can find them as increasing. After evaluating these factors and certain other factors like the comparisons of the suicide rates with other nations, Edney substantiates that American economy is under greatest crisis. Edney demonstrates that it is possible for one to get away from these inequalities. Furthermore, the poor is never ready to criticize the rich in the prospect that they are also going to be one among them. The observation of the essayist on the economic revolt of the country is remarkable that he has recognized that it is not the first time that America produced huge separation between the poor and the rich. In order to prove this fact, Edney says, “In the 1870s-1890s America actually had a brush with serious economic revolt” (Edney 32). The essayist does not spare the grave changes the Civil War brought to American economy. He has identified that after the Civil War the American economy marked an immense capital growth. One feels that the observation of the essayist is accurate when listening to his comment; “We live in a peculiar era. There is said to be no ideology” (Edney 34). Edney says so because, he could not find values, aims and goals among the people and the lack of unity keep them away from attaining common goals. He infers that it is this lack of ideology that caused for the American failure in Vietnam War. The lack of ideologies has left the way for two old ideologies rising again. The essayist gathers enough materials to prove the inequalities. By adopting the theories of socio psychology, biology and sociology, the essayist has attempted to prove that there are certain factors that cause for inequality. Genetic predisposition also exert significant role in promoting such an inequality. Selfishness is the other fact helping for this segregation. Social Darwinism and the Laissez-faire theories are rising again in the present world. “…it [Laissez-faire] means government abstention from interference with individual action, especially commercial action” (Edney). It provided individuals and business concerns to indulge in various activities without the interference of government. To conclude, one can infer that the essayist has won in his attempts bring out the real issues concerning economic inequalities between the rich and the poor in America. The essay has been structured very systematically as the readers will not miss even a single issue regarding American economy without being mentioned. Through this essay, Edney has unveiled the present status of American economy and the various issues threatening American economy. He has also identified that we are living in an era having no particular ideologies, as such; old ideologies like the laissez-faire and Social Darwinism are still relevant. Work Cited: Edney, Julian. Greed: A Treatise in Two Essays. iUniverse, 2005. Print. Medina, John, The genetic inferno: inside the seven deadly sins, Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print. Pizzigati., Sam. Greed and good: understanding and overcoming the inequality that limits our lives. The Apex Press, 2004. Print. Stilwell J. B. F., Argyrous, G. Economics as a social science: readings in political economy. 2 Edn. Illustrated. Pluto Press Australia, 2003. Tadjbakhsh and Chenoy. Human security: concepts and implications. Edn. Illustrated. Taylor & Francis, 2007. Print. Read More