Sociology Class Info

Attendance Per. 7 / Thursday, 4/2/20

Attendance Per. 2 / Friday, 4/3/20

Sociology lesson and assignment for Thursday, 4/2 (Period 7) and Friday, 4/3 (Period 2).

Attendance Period 7– Please click on button at top of the page by 2:00 pm on Thursday 4/2 to  sign in / be counted present.

Attendance Period 2 – Please click on button at top of the page by 2:00 pm on Friday 4/3 to sign in / be counted present. 

Learning Target:  Discuss characteristics of capitalism and socialism.

You have probably heard the terms capitalism and socialism in your history classes, current news, discussions with family members, or in political debates.  Capitalism and socialism are economic systems.  An economic system is the organized way a country produces and distributes goods and services for a society. In class we have discussed sociological perspectives. The functionalist perspective would view capitalism as a means of maintaining the order and stability of society.  The conflict perspective follows the views of Karl Marx in the belief that capitalists exploit their workers for their own economic gain. 

Assignment due by Saturday, April 4 at 2:00 pm: Submit assignments to me through email – [email protected]. You may type assignment and include in body of email or as an attachment.  You may also submit a picture of handwritten assignment (please make sure it is clear enough to read).

1.  Make a T-Chart labeled Capitalism and Socialism. List 3 characteristics of each economic system.  List 2 countries that are mostly capitalist and two countries that are mostly socialist. 

​2.  Most countries fall somewhere between capitalism and socialism and have a mixed economic system. A mixed economic system includes elements of both capitalism and socialism.  Two countries that have a mixed economic system are Sweden and France.  Choose either Sweden or France and describe how the mixed economic system works in relation to the production and distribution of goods and services.  
    
Go to the website Stossel in the Classroom, www. stosselintheclassroom.org.  In the top ribbon click on the Both Sides of the Issue tab.  Find the Both Sides: Debating Capitalism videos.

Watch the first video titled Richard Wolff: Three Flaws of Capitalism (4:23 in length).  In addition to going to the Stossel in the Classroom website, you can type the title of the video in your search engine to access. Respond to the following question. 

3.  Richard Wolff discusses three flaws of capitalism.  He discusses the arguments of the Marxists on each of these three fundamentally intolerable conditions.  List and explain these three flaws / intolerable conditions of capitalism.   

Watch the second video titled John Stossel: In Defense of Capitalism (7:10 length).  In addition to going to the Stossel in the Classroom website, you can type the title of the video in your search engine to access. Respond to the following three questions. 

4. Yaron Brook and John Stossel discuss the statement that rich people (capitalists) improved the standards of living for everyone.  Explain this statement using examples from the video.  

5.  John Stossel states that capitalism is voluntary.  What does he mean by this statement?

6.  Yaron Brook argues that capitalism is moral because it allows individuals to pursue their own happiness. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  Explain why?

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