Abstract "The End of Affluence" by Jeffrey Madrick addresses many of the important economic issues of our recent history. Madrick's book centers on the decline of our economy, not growth. Instead of focusing on the rising affluence of American families, Madrick focuses on the end of the American economic growth machine. And instead of focusing on the problems that economic growth can help solve, the author writes about the problems that economic stagnation has generated. It is the purpose of this paper to present the major themes of Madrick's book, "The End of Affluence".
Abstract This paper examines ?The End of Affluence? by Jeffrey Madrick, which centers on the decline of our economy and not the growth. It looks at how, instead of focusing on the rising affluence of American families, Madrick focuses on the end of the American economic growth machine and how, instead of focusing on the problems that economic growth can help solve, the author writes about the problems that economic stagnation has generated.
From the Paper "Stagnant incomes also put significantly greater emotional pressures on family members, thus leading to higher divorce rates and more families with two working spouses. Children must then fend for themselves a good part of the day, and so they complete less homework and perform at lower levels in school. ?In some ways, federal education funding is also merely symbolic - never enough to be a significant contribution except in schools in very poor neighborhoods. But federal education funding is very important as a way of getting the country to discuss educational priorities. For more than 20 years, the focus was on equity; in the 1980s, it shifted more toward the economy. Today, neither issue seems to be part of the budget conversations."
Abstract The paper presents the argument that overwork-related affluence ruins a family. Instead of spending time together, even doing mundane tasks, that time is spent either working still more and making yet more money, or in individual pursuits. The paper maintains that the 'super-size' culture of the United States-a result of this affluence-is wrecking children and their families. The paper stresses the need to have a parent available to raise young children because children have developed the concepts of reward and punishment in the first year of life, so it is axiomatic that overworked parents 'buying children off' will be counterproductive within a generation.
From the Paper "When one is speaking about the effects of parental overwork and, in most cases perhaps, greater affluence (although one cannot discount the families in which parents are overworked and are barely able to keep the family financially afloat), the factor of community must necessarily be involved. Indeed, as Rubio points out, in affluent families-at least those in which the affluence is the result of career-focused, overworking parents-the concept of community shifts from sports and volunteer work to hired help; people to mow the lawn, clean the house and so on. In this sense, it is easy to see how the argument that overwork-related affluence saps the integrity of the family. Rather than spending any time even doing mundane tasks such as cleaning the swimming pool together, that time is arguably spent either working still more and making yet more money, or in individual pursuits. In any case, whether there is any excess time available to family members because of the hired help, the sense of community has changed from interactions between family and church or charitable organizations or sports teams to interactions (probably minimal at that) between family members (and probably not all of them) and hired help."
Abstract This paper scrutinizes the phenomenon of political correctness through the lens of three classic novels that deal with this topic. The novels, which each confront utopianism, are George Orwell's "1984", Ray Bradbury's "The Affluence of Despair" and Robert Bly's "Little Book on the Human Shadow". This paper demonstrates how these novels were conceived by the authors as spiritual warnings against what they considered destructive social trends. Through a review and critique of these stories, the author attempts to support his thesis that like the societies depicted in these novels, American society today is also endangered by utopianism. In America, asserts the author of this paper, it is the feminists, gays and other supporters of the liberal agenda who are most dangerous to true liberty.
From the Paper "Orwell rightly noticed that in totalitarian country the government would try to deprive people of the sense of personal uniqueness, by making them to feel being just a particle of huge social machine. Since there is no way that people can be effectively deprived of their emotions and physical drives, Communist society will try to redirect them in such way that these emotions would be "harmlessly" released. The best way to do it is when person is encouraged to become emotional only within certain boundaries. An individual can be happy as long as it a "social happiness" and he/she is also allowed to feel hate, but only towards Party's enemies: "All over Oceania this morning there were irrepressible spontaneous demonstrations when workers marched out of factories and offices and paraded through the streets with banners voicing their gratitude to Big Brother for the new, happy life which his wise leadership has bestowed upon us." (Orwell, p. 15)."
This paper is a discussion of how and why economic growth was sparked in the Stone Age, specifically stating that climatic changes, geographic factors, and the growth of settlements with larger populations were the largest factors.
Abstract This paper discusses the economic growth that occurred during the Stone Age and aligns with Marshall Sahlins' view that the Stone Age was a society of affluence, stipulating that an affluent society is one in which material desires are easily fulfilled, as long as the needs of the people are few. The author argues that the primary factor in economic growth of the Stone Age was the climatic change that followed the end of the Ice Age. These climate changes caused food shortages, which in turn necessitated the development of tools for hunting. Later, in areas where geographic conditions were ideal, agriculture developed, which in turn spurred greater economic growth.
From the Paper "The Neolithic Age was preceded by the rise of agricultural activities in several Stone Age communities. In general, the Neolithic period is seen primarily as an economic phenomenon, and its essence is seen as consisting in the new phenomenon of agriculture (Thomas). Of course, this did vary from region to region. By 5000 BC, peasant communities existed in Palestine, Iraq and Iran, and soon thereafter they appeared in India, Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean (Hawkes and Woolley 8). On the other hand, in Europe hunting persisted for thousands of years, and change came much more slowly. Moreover, Thomas argues that the situation was quite different in southern Britain, and possibly also in other parts of Britain, and in Ireland. The point Thomas wishes to make is that 'the Neolithic in Britain was not characterized by a single economic system' (7)."
Tags:affluence, Ice Age, geographic location, food shortage, agriculture development
Abstract This paper takes a look at the new phenomenon of text messages on cellular phones especially as they relate to teenage culture.
From the Paper "The negative effects of the mobile phone are also becoming evident with regard to teenagers, the champion texters. There is some concern within the teaching profession that literacy skills are being lost, as vowels and grammar are ignored. While parents share these fears, they are encouraged by suggestions that text messaging may be safer than voice calls, as the mobile is not held close to the head when writing, sending or receiving SMS."
From the Paper "On the first page of his 1958 bestseller, The Affluent Society, John Kenneth Galbraith wrote that "wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" (1). What he tried to point out was that, although getting gain had been a primary pursuit of Americans long before 1958, endless increases in production--even with an increasing ability to take a guiding hand in manufacturing demand--had become the key to contemporary affluence. And, while this had been producing ever-greater gain for some, it was also engendering severe want and other social problems at a correspondingly rapid rate. Those whose primary goal is the getting of gain had been proceeding without regard for the way this shaped society. And, wrapped up in increasing gain, these Americans seemed incapable of appreciating that want in others would eventually reach critical mass and prove to work..."
Abstract This paper summarizes and compares the views of Robert Kuttner in "Everything for Sale" (1998), Robert Reich in "The Work of Nations" (1991) and Jeffrey Madrick in "The End of Affluence" (1995) concerning the changes which have transformed the American economy during the past 25 years such as issues such as deregulation and privatization. It examines the resulting problems, their causes and the possible solutions they each offer, including the role of corporations, government, unions, workers and economic and/or social policies in correcting these problems.
From the Paper "Kuttner thinks unions perform a positive role in checking unrestrained management power and in furthering productive efficiency as well as worker welfare, but he offers few suggestions as to how unions can be revived. He would use tax policy to reward corporations which have progressive labor policies. He says that "'participatory inequality' is accelerating and is highly skewed by social class" (p. 355). He is in favor of increasing the participation of the people in politics and community life but offers few concrete suggestions on how to realize this goal, other than that measures be adopted mandating "shorter hours, mandatory parental leave and paid child-care benefits" (p. 351). He advocates greater accountability of corporations, not only to shareholders, "but also to employees, communities and society as a whole" but offers little guidance on how to improve corporate governance (p. 190)."
Tags: deregulation, privatization, labor, unions, government
Abstract This paper reviews F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby", a book primarily concerned with the lives of wealthy people, set in a period of American history where wealth was of greater importance than ever before, owing to the increasing affluence of the population and the start of mass public investment in the stock market. It examines how the novel deals with two of the great issues of its time, the social extravagance and pleasure-seeking spirit of the roaring twenties and the ruthless social climbing of those at the top of organized crime. It looks at how the book shows that the ideals of hope, morality and honesty are no longer existent and how the novel's obsession with wealth and the amorality that surrounds its wealthy characters demonstrates that money is only an object of worship.
From the Paper "Perhaps the greatest demonstration of the way the novel is bewitched by the dishonesty and lavishness of wealth is in the eponymous hero. While the narrator seems in awe of the luxury of his parties, there is little comment on the rather corrupt and unsavoury means by which Gatsby has acquired his wealth. At one of his parties a guest comments that he once "killed a man". This is never condemned, and his friend Meyer Wolfsheim is a distinctly shady character whose corruption and underworld connection seems little cause for alarm to Nick. This is great symbolism in Gatsby's favourite term of endearment, "old sport". This is meant to evoke thoughts of fair play, but it only serves to remind one of Jordan's cheating at golf and Wolfsheim's fixing of the world series go to show that sport, traditionally a bastion of morality, is now full of such underhand practice. However, Meyer Wolfsheim's molar cufflinks get more comment than his corrupt activities."
Abstract The paper employs these techniques when interviewing three educators in order to discover their involvement in administrating social studies functions in schools. The writer compares the responses with the goal of concluding the level of importance that is placed upon this curriculum. The paper finds that there is evidence of disparity between heads of low-income schools versus heads of affluent schools.
From the Paper "All respondents were asked to describe what they perceived as the needs of the students, the needs of the community, degree of parental support, levels of parent involvement, their basic responsibilities and roles, and their school's expectations regarding their basic responsibilities and roles. Each of these categories are discussed here. The analysis ends with the formulation of several conclusions concerning differences in interviewees' perceptions and the relation of these differences to whether the school was low-income or affluent."
Abstract Aside from the depiction of the social condition and environment of the 1930s in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby" utilizes symbolism in order to discuss the social issues in the novel, which include: (1) wealth as a measure for social acceptance; (2) women's roles in the society; and (3) urban vs. rural life. The paper shows that these three themes in the novel are used through the following (corresponding) symbols: (1) New York parties as a sign of affluence and social acceptance; (2) the characters of Daisy and Myrtle (as well as women in general) as representations of how women are treated in the society; and (3) New York as a symbol of urbanism/urban life. These symbols are discussed and analyzed in their relationship with the themes and are supported with quotes/passages from the novel.
From the Paper "Lastly, New York is depicted by Fitzgerald as a symbol for the urban life that Nick initially preferred but detested when he eventually realized the materialistic and shallow nature of its people. Nick describes New York as an "exciting" place, where colorful lives abound. However, he also has contradicting feelings about the city: despite its glamour, New York possesses ?a quality of distortion,? which Nick realized to be true after Gatsby's death: "After Gatsby's death the East was haunted for me like that, distorted beyond my eyes' power of correction" (Chapter 9). Evidently, New York as a sign of urban life, materialism, and consumerism is depicted in the novel as an unhealthy society to live in."
Abstract This is a detailed book report on J.K. Galbraith's "The Culture of Contentment". Both a political and socioeconomic treatise, it reveals the power dynamics that keep our own status quo alive while depending on the oppression of an "underclass" made up of the disenfranchised poor. The US, more than Europe, is the site of this culture of contentment, since part of its economic-psychological appeal is to moralize affluence and demonize poverty. The paper also includes the author's (positive) opinion on Galbraith's theory.
Abstract This study will reveal the nature of employment laws that exist in Europe and how they are connected with the great affluence of the Temporary employment agencies through the region. The countries of England, France and others will be covered in describing the way that the laws help or corrupt the employment agencies and their handing of native and immigrating workers. The fact will be given on how laws of the countries tell how the country observes the actions of its workers and how they deal with them.
Abstract This paper begins by looking at how the French Communist Party enjoyed such great power and influence in the years following World War II. It then examines why this strength has waned in the past 50 years including the constitutional changes of 1958, the failure of the Communist-Socialist alliance, the decreasing relevance of Communist policies, the increase in working class affluence and the fall of Communist regimes elsewhere.
From the Paper "The PCF enjoyed its greatest levels of popularity between 1946-1958. During this time, the Communists were helped greatly by a number of features of French politics and society. For instance, French democracy was far from solid following the revival of numerous undemocratic ideas during the Vichy regime, and indeed, Communism was not perceived as quite so radical a Left Wing force immediately following the Second World War. Therefore, it was possible for the PCF to destabilise the fragile, unstable coalition governments that existed until 1958. In addition, a Left Wing split existed in France at this time, which ensured that the Communists had no significant Left Wing opposition to contend with, and similarly, the PCF's foreign policies tended to be very similar to those of the powerful Gaullist Party of the 1950s and 60s, which would again allow them to appear less radical a party."
Abstract This paper addresses government failures in the area of economic development and considers whether political regimes sometimes put the overall welfare of the nation on the back burner in the face of pressure from interest groups. It looks at how there has been a spate of publications in recent years, which consider whether smaller countries are faced with peculiar disadvantages, making it more difficult for them to reach a level of affluence that is comparable with the largest economies of the world. It also discusses how the main focus of such literature is that, since smaller countries have restricted access to resources, both human and natural, they face an uphill battle to reach the levels of prosperity of nations with large labor forces, or vast stores of natural resources.
From the Paper "Another recently well-publicized situation, which may be termed "government failure", is in the realm of the environment. With much of the world's air pollution arising in the more affluent developed countries, there has been increasing pressure on the governments of these nations to take concrete steps to either reduce the emissions from their vehicles and factories, or to make the polluters pay for the emissions in the form of increased taxes. Such proposals are generally supported by the citizens of the developed nations, but are unwelcome for the owners of large industrial concerns as well as car makers, as they would seriously increase their costs and hence reduce their profits."
