economic inequality
Mohammad Hasan
Pol 51, Section 08 (4045)
Pof. Steffy
12.15.2014
Economic Inequality: A Threat to Democracy?
The gap between the rich and the rest has been much wider in the United States than in other developed nations for decades. The United States of America has known for a land of opportunities. Everyone wants to achieve the “American Dream” which defines economic success. But we can see the uneven distribution by comparing one of the wealthiest men in America, Bill Gates, who makes over $50 billion, to a homeless person, who has nothing. This shows an income inequality in the U.S because there is a huge gap between rich and poor. Most of us agree that equal opportunity and a well-set middle class are essential for our economy and political system. But throughout history, there has been debate about how to guarantee equal opportunity and how much economic inequality should be tolerated in a democracy before government needs to take action. Thomas Jefferson argued that industrialism and large cities created wide inequalities and dangerous dependencies that corrupted democracy. He also argued that there were times when American democracy depended on the back of farmers, because they made a living through their own efforts on their own land. They were free to speak up and participated in politics without any fears. On the other hand his opponent Alexander Hamilton argued that government should encourage industrialism and work with wealthy class to create competition between lower class. In nineteenth century the populist movement fought to protect small farmer and limit the power of corruptions. The proposed the legislation to break up the large corruptions and appoint a federal income tax to redistribute the wealth. But the opponent of the populists didn’t agree that industrialism create unfair inequalities and a threat to American democracy. But they didn’t deny the inequality that happen. They argued that it’s a natural economic competition, which
Pol 51, Section 08 (4045)
Pof. Steffy
12.15.2014
Economic Inequality: A Threat to Democracy?
The gap between the rich and the rest has been much wider in the United States than in other developed nations for decades. The United States of America has known for a land of opportunities. Everyone wants to achieve the “American Dream” which defines economic success. But we can see the uneven distribution by comparing one of the wealthiest men in America, Bill Gates, who makes over $50 billion, to a homeless person, who has nothing. This shows an income inequality in the U.S because there is a huge gap between rich and poor. Most of us agree that equal opportunity and a well-set middle class are essential for our economy and political system. But throughout history, there has been debate about how to guarantee equal opportunity and how much economic inequality should be tolerated in a democracy before government needs to take action. Thomas Jefferson argued that industrialism and large cities created wide inequalities and dangerous dependencies that corrupted democracy. He also argued that there were times when American democracy depended on the back of farmers, because they made a living through their own efforts on their own land. They were free to speak up and participated in politics without any fears. On the other hand his opponent Alexander Hamilton argued that government should encourage industrialism and work with wealthy class to create competition between lower class. In nineteenth century the populist movement fought to protect small farmer and limit the power of corruptions. The proposed the legislation to break up the large corruptions and appoint a federal income tax to redistribute the wealth. But the opponent of the populists didn’t agree that industrialism create unfair inequalities and a threat to American democracy. But they didn’t deny the inequality that happen. They argued that it’s a natural economic competition, which