The modern world is facing a myriad of cchallenges, including environmental issues, severe economic constraints, as well as global health-related threats. All these concerns fuel the discussion of the relevance and effectiveness of the economic agendas countries choose. The debate that involves comparing capitalism and socialism seems relevant these days. On the one hand, such politicians as Bernie Sanders, who is famous for his socialist preferences, try to attract voters by focusing on the ideas of social justice, fairness, and government-led distribution of resources (Raeder 98). Such people note that socialism is the only beneficial model for countries as it can ensure equality and fairness. On the other hand, President Trump, who is a devout supporter of capitalism, tries to ensure the development of business in the USA and is giving money to people suffering from the coronavirus-related restrictions (Dzhanova and Pramuk). The comparison of the two economic systems is rather complex and involves many aspects, but various facts and numbers are showing the superiority of capitalism over socialism.
The Basic Principles of the Two Systems
Capitalism and socialism are two systems that differ considerably in terms of fundamental principles. Capitalism rewards performance and innovation, encourages risk-taking, and safeguards individual liberties (Pejovich, p. 120). Socialism is associated with “top-down income policies,… social insurance coverage,” and control of prices and educational (as well as many other) choices of individuals (Pejovich, p. 120). Importantly, capitalism promotes individualism and freedom of expression, while socialism concentrates on collectivism and the good for all. As to the vices of the two economic models, Winston Churchill in his specific manner stated that capitalism “was the unequal sharing of blessings” while socialism “was the equal sharing of miseries” (De Haan, p. 109). The existing examples of social or former social countries can illustrate the perspective of the renowned British prime minister.
Stories from Some Socialist Countries
It is necessary to start with a quick note that capitalism has certain areas to be addressed, and the lack of equality is one of these. However, capitalism is a viable economic model that enables countries to prosper and introduce various innovations that help human society to evolve. Although the American society may seem unfair to some groups of people, the United States is a mighty country with a strong economy where people enjoy freedoms that make it possible to create, seize opportunities, and succeed.
The stories of socialist countries are characterized by fewer blessings for their citizens and more serious issues, which led these systems to rather a quick destruction. Moreover, the failure of communist and socialist states to address the needs of their people or even survive suggests that socialism is hardly achievable (Ghosh and Ghosh, p. 148). The Soviet Union still serves as an iconic example of the complete fiasco of the socialist system. The governgovernment-controlledistribution of resources through the provision of free dwelling, education, and health care (Ghosh and Ghosh, p. 148). At the same time, the provided commodities and servicservicesof low quality, and the government kept the standards of living substantially lower as compared to capitalist countries of that period. The government controlled prices, production, and many spheres of people’s lives. Limited or zero individual liberties were available to Soviet people as they could hardly leave the country or openly express their views on multiple topics (Raeder, p. 72). The system managed to survive for several decades, and the country that was based on the planned economy ceased to exist to pave the way for new states to develop adopting the capitalist approach.
Some may say that the stories of the past do not go in line with the current situation. However, the modern world has a vivid illustration of the superiority of capitalism to socialism. It can be regarded as a social experiment as the countries to be considered have been affected by almost identical internal and external forces. The development of two Koreas unveils the vices of socialism or rather its inapplicability in the real world. North Korean propaganda tries to create a picture of a prosperous and fair society where people are committed to contributing to the good for all (Legates, p. 17). Nevertheless, numbers and figures do not lie and reveal the difference between the performance of the two countries that have similar or even identical features.
For instance, the GDP of South Korea is 18 times higher than that of North Korea (Legates 17). In North Korea, life expectancy is approximately ten years less than in its southern counterpart, while infant mortality is over six times higher (Legates, p. 17). The lack of electricity, low standards of living, malnutrition, and low-quality health care are characteristic features of North Korea. All these issues are the result of the planned economy and the focus on socialism as the guiding economic system.
Why Is Capitalism Superior to Socialism?
Although the exact facts are provided, and it is proved that people in socialist countries are poor and unfree, some may still focus on the principles. Some supporters of socialism may argue that people simply fail to establish strong social societies due to their corruption, lack of knowledge or ot,her reasons. The basic cause of these states’ failure is non-viability of socialism. Socialists try to promulgate the ideas of fairness and equal distribution of resources. However, this kind of fairness cannot be achieved unless people are deprived of individual liberties. Innovation and creativity cannot be planned and controlled top-down, but they can be encouraged by the provision of opportunities and potential gains. Capitalism is the system that ensures this type of support of evolution. Clearly, some controls can be imposed to prevent considerable violations. Moreover, it is possible to note that although inequality is apparent in the USA, the government still provides support to those in need (Dzhanova and Pramuk). Therefore, some redistribution of wealth is possible in capitalist societies as well.
Conclusion
On balance, it is possible to state that socialism cannot be established in the real world, at least, not in human society. This system is linked to governmental control that discourages people from innovating and going the extra mile. No individual liberties and the focus on collectivist gains lead to poverty and low standards of living. Capitalism, on the contrary, encourages innovation and development as people pursue their personal, which eventually results in the creation of important products, services, and norms. Capitalist countries are prosperous due to their limited involvement in people’s lives. Markets and individuals decide what is truly better for them, and no government has been able to plan and control everything or rather anything. It is critical to remember the lessons of the past and avoid making similar mistakes that came at a high cost for millions of people.
References
- De Haan, Peter. From Keynes to Piketty: The Century that Shook up Economics. Springer, 2016.
- Dzhanova, Yelena, and Jacob Pramuk. “President Trump Signs Coronavirus Relief Plan to Expand Paid Leave.” CNBC, 2020.
- Ghosh, Chandana, and Ambar Nath Ghosh. An Introduction to Economics: Economic Theory and Society. Springer Nature, 2019.
- Legates, David R. “The Experiment: Capitalism versus Socialism.” Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, vol. 22, no. 1, 2017, pp. 16-21.
- Pejovich, Svetozar (Steve). “From Socialism in the 1900s to Socialism in the 2000s: The Rise of Liberal Socialism.” Post-Communist Economies, vol 30, no. 1, 2017, pp. 117-129.
- Raeder, Linda C. Freedom, and Economic Order: Capitalism and Socialism in Theory and Practice. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.
Five Oceans Of The Earth
Introduction
In the face of the earth there are five oceans and these include the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean. The surface of the earth is for this reason covered by water with up to 71% of its area (Briney). The largest of the oceans is the Pacific followed by the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean respectively.
The southern ocean comes in forth position and the smallest of them all is the Arctic Ocean. The southern ocean is the fifth ocean that was recently created in the year 2000 (Rosenberg). The arctic and the southern oceans are both found in the northern and southern regions of the world respectively. In this research I will identify and discuss the major oceans on the face of the earth and their topographical positions on the surface of the earth.
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean extending from the northern region of the earth to the southern region. It is estimated to cover up to 28% of the earth’s surface which is a significant area of coverage (Briney). The Equator cuts through the ocean dividing it into northern and southern pacific and it is characterized by unique landscape owing to its many years of existence (Briney). The ocean was formed after the geographical break up of the ancient Pangaea (Znaniecki).
This is estimated to have taken place 250 million years ago (Briney). The Pacific Ocean is formed from the Panthalassa Ocean that was a large water body surrounding Pangaea (Briney). It is formed on oceanic ridges and trenches giving the ocean a very unique topography. The ocean is positioned on one of the most vulnerable surfaces of the earth to volcanic activity (Briney). This is the reason as to why the area covered by the Pacific Ocean is referred to as the pacific ring of fire. The pacific’s coastline is characterized by rugged edges and high cliffs albeit it has other coastlines that are gentler and gradual
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the five oceans and covers the area between Africa and Europe and between the Arctic Ocean and the southern ocean. It covers approximately an area of about 82,440 million sq km and has a coastline of about 111,866 km (Znaniecki). Research records reveal that the surface of the ocean is normally covered with ice in the southern regions and warm waters in the northern regions (Znaniecki). The lowest point of the Atlantic Ocean is approximately -8,605 (Znaniecki). Just like the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean is subdivided by the equator into two halves namely the northern Atlantic Ocean and the southern Atlantic oceans.
The Atlantic Ocean covers approximately one fifth of the earth’s surface and has most of the interesting features. The most notable being the underwater mountain rage running through from Iceland (Znaniecki). Other features include the great mid- Atlantic ridge that separates the ocean into two distinct ocean basins. The basins are further divided into other smaller basins. The most notable of these smaller subdivisions according to research include the “Baffin basin, Hudson basin, Labrador basin, the Newfoundland basin and the large north American basin” (Znaniecki). The Atlantic surface water has been found to contain more salt than the rest of the oceans (Znaniecki).
Salinity in the Atlantic oceans can be attributed to factors such as current flow which can bring salty water from other seas of high water salinity. Precipitation, river flow and rate of water evaporation from the ocean are other causes of high water salinity in the Atlantic oceans. High evaporation rate means that the concentration of salt in the ocean increases as water evaporates (Znaniecki). Precipitation on the other hand will reduce salinity as salt is diluted. River flows increase the amount of water in the ocean thereby reducing the concentration of salt and as a result low salinity.
Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean is ranked third place after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean and it covers the surface between Africa and the southern ocean. It also covers the area between Asia and Australia. It has four main water inlets that include the Suez Canal in Egypt, Bab el Mandeb in Djibouti, the straight of hamuz in Iran and the straight of Malacca in Malaysia (Rosenberg). The area covered by the Indian Ocean is approximately 68.556 million sq km with a coastline of approximately 66,526 km (about.com). The lowest point of the Indian Ocean is -7,258 m and sometimes there forms occasional icebergs (Briney). This ocean is commercially busy as it provides sea routes that join the Middle East, East Asia and Africa (Rosenberg).
The Indian Ocean provides fishing grounds for countries aligned at its vast coastline. This is a commercial engagement that has sustained and contributed to great economies like Japan. The ocean also carries volume of petroleum and petroleum products from there sources to other regions where the commodity is scarce. Indian Ocean is also credited for offshore oil production accounting for 40% or the world’s total production (Rosenberg).
Southern ocean
Frequently referred to as the new southern ocean, it is the newest of the earth’s oceans and also the second smallest of them all. It was created in the year 2000 by the international hydrographic organization. In addition, the ocean was created out of the southern parts of the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean (Rosenberg). It covers an area of estimated 20.3 million sq km and its lowest point is estimated to be 23,737 feet (Rosenberg). Though it was recently formed, the debate on how many oceans should be recognized is not yet over as some feel that the creation of a new ocean was not necessary thereof sticking to the original four oceans.
Arctic Ocean
Located at the northern regions of the earth’s surface, the Antarctic Ocean is mainly characterized by the presence of ice. It has limited biological activities as a result of this and it is also the smallest of the oceans. It has a relatively small coastal line that is about 165,000 km which experiences geographical processes such as volcanic activities, glaciations faulting and folding (Hebert). Due to water salinity, its water’s freezing point lowers to -2° C from the normal freezing point of 0° C for fresh and pure water (Hebert).
In this ocean, icebergs are found with heights ranging from 60-200 meters which are very huge and are estimated to weigh about 10 million tons (Hebert). The Arctic Ocean receives water through inflows from rivers like the Mackenzie River in Canada as well as Ob, Yenisey and Lena Rivers found in Siberia (Hebert). Much about this ocean has not been identified though due to difficulties provided by the ice characteristic.
Conclusion
The formation of oceans is a geographical process that took place as a result of the drifting away of land masses from the original land namely Pangaea. This process led to the formation of basins in between the drifting land mass which were filled by oceanic waters hence creating the water bodies that we now call the oceans. The size of an ocean depends on the distance created as a result of the land drift. Oceans play a very important role on earth as they influence weather patterns and seasons. It is therefore important for scientist to keep researching and gathering information on how the oceans influence human existence.
Works Cited
Briney, Amanda. “Geography of the Pacific Ocean; Learn Information about the World’s Largest Ocean”. About.com. Geography. 2011. Web.
Earth’s Ocean. “Atlantic Ocean.” New world encyclopedia. 2012. Web.
Hebert, Paul. “Arctic Ocean.” The Encyclopedia of Earth. 2010. Web.
Rosenberg, Matt. “The World’s Newest Ocean – The Southern Ocean.” About.com guide. 2009. Web.
Rosenberg, Matt. “Geography; Indian Ocean.” About.com. 2012. Web.
A Personal Behavior Modification Experiment Using Operant Conditioning
Introduction
The undesirable behavior I chose to examine is swearing, which is not an uncommon occurrence at my household. I’m 32 and married, which primarily means there is always someone to swear at. Swearing is not the most socially acceptable habit, but research by Baruch, Prouska, Ollier-Malaterre, & Bunk (2017) notes that professional people often do it. The same research points out positive outcomes of swearing: it can relieve stress and help one cope with emotional work (Baruch et al., 2017). It is also one of the expressive tools of the English language, used to emphasize a point, convey authority, or get one’s attention (Baruch et al., 2017).
Desire for Change
Swearing might sound rather good after the last slide, but it has negative outcomes, as well. While it can help relieve tension, it can just as easily create conflict where it could be avoided (Baruch et al., 2017). It is also bad for one’s image, creating perceptions of lack of control or respect (Baruch et al., 2017). Although we generally have an understanding in my household that swearing is emotional and no-one desires to upset or insult anyone, it can still happen. Furthermore, I can not always control this behavior, which has led to awkward situations where I swore inappropriately. Therefore, I would like to alter this habit by using operant conditioning on myself.
Tracking Discussion
I observed my behavior over the first three days of the experiment, recording all instances where I swore, and trying to group these instances by antecedent. Over this observation period, I swore a total of 64 times: 28 on day 1, 16 on day 2, and 20 on day 3. The antecedents for swearing varied significantly, from accidentally dropping a sandwich on the floor to getting in a heated argument with my spouse. In most cases, especially when no-one was around to hear it, I felt a relief of stress, as expected. However, swearing also attracted the attention of my family members, which was not always needed and probably annoying for them. It is also likely that using crude language in an argument did not help resolve it quickly.
The results of my observation reveal that all the antecendents of my swearing can be split roughly equally into three groups. The first group is emotional, which is my response to things that surprise me; this is primarily an unconscious reaction. The second group covers frustrating experiences when doing something turns out to be more difficult than initially expected, or just irritation. I did some household chores on day one, which probably explains the high count on that day. Finally, I consciously swear for emphasis, to help get my point across. Somewhat surprisingly, the emotional category is the least common for me, possibly reflecting my general emotional arousal during the day (Stephens & Zile, 2017).
Behavioral Intervention
How does one alter his or her behavior to stop swearing? One could try rewarding him or herself for not swearing, but “not swearing” is not a behavior. However, “not swearing” is not a behavior that passes the dead man test: dead men don’t swear. Therefore, the opposite approach is required: I will devise a punishment for myself and administer it every time I swear in addition to recording the behavior. Under operant conditioning, such punishment should decrease the behavior it follows (Burger, 2018). The hypothesis is that over the three days when I am more mindful of my language, and additionally punish myself every time I swear, I will record less instances of swearing.
To begin operant conditioning, I needed to create an operational definition for swearing. This simply involved a list of words, which I cannot share for obvious reasons. Each time I said one of these words, I would put either a 5-cent or a 10-cent coin into a “swear box”. At the end of the experiment, I would open the box and use the money to buy snacks or tiny souvenirs for my family. It was surprisingly difficult to come up with more punishments: ideas like exercise or apologizing may sound good, but I did not want to associate these positive behaviors with punishment.
Over the following three days, with the swear box in effect, I kept recording all instances of swearing, dividing them into the same three groups by antecedent. The notebook shows a total of 41 instances, a significant reduction compared to the observation period. Swearing for emphasis, in particular, decreased significantly, whereas emotional swearing stayed roughly the same, and swearing in frustration saw a mild reduction.
Three days is a short time for an experiment; however, some trends have become visible on examining the results. First of all, the emotional response, swearing unconsciously, was not significantly affected by this intervention. This can be expected as this is a more difficult behavior to control. Swearing in frustration, which can be described as semi-conscious, saw a mild decrease. Finally, the intervention reduced my swearing for emphasis, which is fully conscious, approximately by a half. However, this effect can not be fully attributed to the operant conditioning intervention. Being mindful of my language could have been enough to cause a reduction, especially in conscious swearing. Furthermore, having to stop what I was doing, consider the antecedent for my swearing, and making a corresponding mark in my notebook can be interpreted as a form of punishment in itself.
Experiment Summary
Overall, this experiment was an interesting experience. Over its course, my swearing was reduced almost by half. The conscious part of swearing was most affected, and researching why that is the case seems interesting. Furthermore, it would be interesting to continue observing and measuring the effect of this experiment over a longer period, or repeat it with a different set of punishments or a reward for extended periods without swearing. Personally, being more mindful and critical of myself felt rewarding, and having solid, measurable improvements was heartening. By the end of day 3 of the experiment, my swear box had $3.15 in it.
Conclusion
Overall, this experiment was an interesting experience. Over its course, my swearing was reduced almost by half. The conscious part of swearing was most affected, and researching why that is the case seems interesting. Furthermore, it would be interesting to continue observing and measuring the effect of this experiment over a longer period, or repeat it with a different set of punishments or a reward for extended periods without swearing. Personally, being more mindful and critical of myself felt rewarding, and having solid, measurable improvements was heartening. By the end of day 3 of the experiment, my swear box had $3.15 in it.
References
Baruch, Y., Prouska, R., Ollier-Malaterre, A., & Bunk, J. (2017). Swearing at work: the mixed outcomes of profanity. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 32(2), 149-162.
Burger, J. M. (2018) Personality (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning
Stephens, R., & Zile, A. Does Emotional Arousal Influence Swearing Fluency? J Psycholinguist Res 46, 983-995 (2017