Abstract
This paper explains that when Galbraith wrote "The Affluent Society", in 1958, he spotted problems in American society that were caused, not by the drive that accompanies the desire to escape from need, but by the blindness that results from excessive gain. This paper points out that Galbraith promoted a version of Keynes' idea that when economic growth is inadequate, "state expenditure for useful purposes" (including a certain amount of deficit spending) was the prop the economy needed. The author states that, despite the immense popularity of the book, now in its fourth edition, Galbraith's ideas were little heeded in practical terms.

Table of Contents
Keynes' Notion of Increasing Production
Keynes and State Spending
Biography
History of the Book
Galbraith's Central Argument
Pessimism of the Central Tradition
Accommodating Inequality and Insecurity
Making Increased Production the Only Economic Good

From the Paper
"Galbraith constructed his argument in four stages. First, he demonstrated that postwar thought about the economy depended on the essential pessimism inherited from the central tradition in economics stretching back to Ricardo in the early nineteenth century. Second, he showed how an implicit accommodation to affluence was constructed. Third, he examined how the pessimistic assumption that poverty was inevitable, "which stemmed from a world where nearly all were poor," was institutionalized in affluent America. Finally, he attempted to show how, once one escaped the grip of the conventional wisdom that inequality and economic insecurity are inevitable, it was possible to imagine alternative courses of action."

Tags:kennedy, excessive, gain, growth, deficit

From the Paper
"This study will compare and contrast two works on economic theory --- F.A. Hayek's The Road to Serfdom and John Kenneth Galbraith's The Affluent Society. The study will consider the common elements of mixed-economy socialism (as described in Galbraith's book) and free market economics (as advocated by Hayek); the disagreements of the two authors; ways in which their ideas are reflected in any modern economic or political structures; and this reader's view on the legitimacy of the two authors' approaches to the questions raised.

The basic difference between the two books is that Galbraith argues for some measure of social planning which diverges from a strict free market economy, while Hayek argues from a more purely ideological viewpoint and sees any social planning as a surefire means of economic suicide for capitalism."

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
According to Cunningham et al. (2005) "about 3/4 of the current consumption goes to the 1.1 billion people who live in affluence, while 1/4 of the consumption remain for the other 4.6 billion people". Needless to say, I live within the affluent world and as such am responsible for environmental degradation and resource use.

From the Paper
The Environment and Personal Responsibility The Consequences if my lifestyle According to Cunningham et al "about 3/4 of the current consumption goes to the 1.1 billion people who live in affluence, while 1/4 of the consumption remain for the other 4.6 billion people" (230). Needless to say, I live within the affluent world and as such am responsible for environmental degradation and resource use. My lifestyle has a consequence both on air pollution as well as resource use. By using the car, I contribute to air pollution. Air pollution is involved in acid deposition, global temperature changes and stratospheric

Tags:environment, impact, personal

Abstract
This paper analyzes the problem of alcoholism in the short story "The Farm" by Joy Williams. The uncommunicative marital relationship that Sarah and Tom have exists through the shallow and transparent lifestyle of drinking and partying. This goes on until they kill a teenager on the road while Tom is drunk driving. The writer discusses that the reality of alcoholism provides a vivid look into affluent upper class culture, revealing the humanistic qualities of suffering and tragedy that follow this couple.

Tags:farm, drink

Abstract
This paper explains that "affluenza" is a social problem, which emerged from the success of capitalism and modernism in America. The author points out that the book states that, in America, a strong and good family relationship is determined through the family's capability to spend money, which the family members think is beneficial to their relationship. The paper states "affluenza" creates a blatant disregard for the physical environment because the lifestyle of the affluent American produces more waste than ever in the history of human society by the proliferation of plastic-made, particularly disposable, other non-biodegradable materials and hazardous waste materials.

From the Paper
"Over-consumption was the American psyche that reflected how people considered excessive consumption as the immediate 'solution' in dealing with the stress that come with everyday life. Ironically, what the authors imparted in the book was that Americans worked very hard in order to financially support the lifestyle that they cannot maintain, much less enjoy (40). This realization showed that Americans were not living life as they aspired it to be: the comfort available to them only caused stress and bankruptcy. Bankruptcy resulted from over-spending and not being able to pay for these excessive purchases, while stress was caused by the need to alleviate one's sudden feelings of emotional instability and the pressure to keep up with other people's apparent ascent towards 'affluence'."

Tags:non-biodegradable, bonding, money, excessive, self-centered

Abstract
As the American population continues to become more diverse racially, members of visible minority groups within the population become more prominent. Simultaneously, with the increase in diversity, income distribution in the American economy has become more distorted. While economic growth in the United States has surged over the past decade, the income gap has widened; not only between the richest and poorest Americans, but also between moderate-income and low-income Americans. Members of visible minorities in the population tend to be represented disproportionately in the low-income and poverty classifications in the United States. While there is an abundance of implications of this state of affairs, one of the more crucial ones is access to health care. Individual and household financial capacity, the scarcity of employer-paid health insurance among small businesses, cultural differences based in social psychology and other factors frequently act as impediments to health care access for low-income individuals and households among visible minority population groups in the contemporary United States. This problem and these issues are investigated in this study. The study identifies causal factors for the gap in health care access between lower-income Americans and members of visible minorities in the United States, on the one hand, and more affluent Americans and members of the majority segment of the population, on the other hand. The initial chapter of this study delineates the problem investigated. Specific research questions are formulated and stated to provide greater focus for the investigation.
Social psychological theory and applied social psychology literature are reviewed in the second chapter. Literature relevant to the functioning of low-income and visible minority population groups in the United States within a social psychological context are reviewed in the third chapter. The fourth chapter is devoted to a review of literature relevant to both the health care system in the United States and the experiences of low-income and visible minority population groups in relation to health care access and health care delivery in the United States. An assessment of the problem investigated, performed within the structure of the research questions, is presented in the final (fifth) chapter. Conclusions drawn from the study findings are stated and recommendations for further research are made. The summary conclusions reached through the conduct of this study relate both to health care access and health care utilization by low-income persons and members of visible minorities. With respect to health care access, the summary conclusion reached is that a universal system of health care entitlement is required in the United States. In relation to health care utilization by low-income persons and members of visible minorities, the summary conclusion reached is that extensive education is required for both low-income persons and members of visible minorities, on the one hand, and health care providers, on the other hand. Low-income persons and members of visible minorities require education on the benefits and function of health care services, while health care providers require education in the social mores of the diverse populations they must serve.

Table of Contents:

Introduction
Problem Delineation
Background on the Problem
Statement of the Problem
Research Questions
Review of Relevant Social Psychology Theory and Literature
Introduction
Sociological Theory and Health Care
The Welfare State
Accessing Contemporary Health Care
Role of Ethics in Accessing Health Care
Alternative Health Care Delivery Systems
Chapter Conclusions
Social Functioning of Low-Income and Visible Minority Population Groups
Introduction
HIV/AIDS Related Behavior
Initiatives to Improve Health Care
Access and Behaviors
The American Health Care System and the Experiences of Low-Income and Visible Minority Groups
Introduction
The American Health Care System
Analysis of Health Care Delivery Systems
Care Quality
Alternative Approaches to Health Care
Bio-ethical Issues
Problems of Accessibility
Initiatives to Improve Minority Access
Chapter Conclusions
Assessment of the Problem Discussion, Recommendations for Further Research
Appendices
Annotated Bibliography

From the Paper
"Social Cognitive Theory [self-efficacy] emphasizes the role of expectancies, self-efficacy, peer normative influences, and social competency skills as key components affecting adolescents' behaviors (DiClemente, Lodico, Grinstead, Harper, Rickman, Evans, & Coates, 1996). The applicability of models based on social psychological principles for understanding African-Americans' decision-making and sexual behavior has been questioned because most such models tend to be individually-focused and do not take into account the social context in which the behavior is embedded (Cochran & Mays, 1993). Social cognitive theory, however, explicitly integrates behavioral, cognitive, and environmental factors as reciprocally interactive. Thus, given the hypothesized multi-factorial nature of sexual decision making and the potential impact of the high-risk social environment of the study population, approaches based on social cognitive theory are thought to be particularly relevant for understanding the myriad factors that may affect African-Americans' sexual behavior."

Tags:Simmelian, Four, Quadrants, HIV/AIDS, TRA

Abstract
The paper provides a thorough analysis of the etiology and current status of women of color and white women with respect to eating disorders. The analysis reviews literature for both entities with respect to causes and differences. The paper draws the conclusion that both populations have the same problem but with different causes and reason for their eating disorders.

From the Paper
"Ever since history has been recorded, food has played a pivotal role in human interaction. An investigation into food-related topics, such as global food problems, the sociological factors of food consumption, food policy, the symbolic meaning of food and the role of the mass media in food choices is a never-ending procedure. Food products have not only been a tool for barter but a status symbol, an aphrodisiac and even a negative reinforcement of depression (Rotenburg, 1999), or even the cause of depression (Westover, 2002). Some foods have even been used for medicinal purposes such as teas, herbs, and roots. The types and amounts of food an individual chooses to eat not only affect his or her well-being, but also have implications for society as a whole."

Tags:women, white, color

From the Paper
" The French political scientist, Alex deToqueville, visited the United States almost 200 hundred years ago for the rare opportunity of examining a foundling nation in an isolated system. America had adopted a political system greatly influenced by European philosophical thought and which could be nurtured free of outside factors like invasion or warfare. Similarly, the economics of free trade were implemented in this isolated system, which developed into America's unique form of capitalism. In The Affluent Society (1958), John Kenneth Galbraith examines American capitalism not only though current (...)"

Tags:ECONOMISTS

Abstract
This paper examines the relationshnip between wealth and crime. The author stresses corporate crime. The paper explores ways the wealthy profit from crime while evading prosecution.