test 1 essays

Write short essays. Topic sentences, evidence, concision, clarity & organization are rewarded.

15. Why have Eurasians dominated the world. Lucky in supply of natural capital – wheat, oats, barley, chickens, pigs 90% world supply – and that 90% is traded across a vast market – everyone from England to Japan
domestic animals in close contact with people create the most dangerous diseases (like bird flu now) Europeans develop immunity – native Americans have no animals so don't develop and – die in huge percentages so cannot resist – disorgainzes a society when half it's members are in bed with smallpox or influenza or ...
Native do wonders but North South axis – panama bottleneck vs silk road – less extensive market for what useful plants they have – no beast of burden no wheeled transport – no camel or horse safari tradel

16, What was the position of the richest 1% in the 1880's and why things were like that.? Controll over half of wealth – and buy and sell senators, reps, judges, etc – can rig the rules of the game against Lincoln's "positive" "capability" freedoms – NO CIVIL RIGHTS - overruled unconstitutional – Property rights rule – taxes (income tax unconstitutional)
rich can combine in secret – workers cannot – "restraint of trade" - not same rules for all

17, What are positive and negative freedoms? Positive freedoms are where government ENABLES citizens – education voting rights CAPABILITIES enaHow did Lincoln think about freedom? The working man needs protection from the power of capital “Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves muc the higher consideration”
positive freedom – wolf and sheep – need a government to protect lfree labor from the concentrated economic power of "Capital" as Lincoln says (wealth)What principles apply to markets and to science? Transparency and openness – clear rules – financial disclosure (executive pay rules) cheaters keep thinking of nifty new scams and ways to hide from stockholders and governments – private planes – golden parachutes
as Adam Smith sez – as society becomes more developed needs more infrastructure, more regulatory fair referees, more education

new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal ….. -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Lincoln got us off dependence on the regressive tariff – substituted INCOME TAX and inheritance tax – also taxes on banks, tobacco

Lincoln sees danger just before killed – the rich and powerful will undo everything we've done – scary trends transcontinental railroad taxes from progressive to regressive inequality way up Practical measures? Land grant – homestead act - Lincoln – Land Grant colleges 1862 – teach mechanical & practical arts and science – engineering how much more education do we need today - make best knowledge available to all

18. Why did America have so many crashes and panics- no rules so scams are easy to do in secret – manipulation creates bubbles – investments – bubbles burst

ignorance of economic laws – Calvinist or Social Darwinist (Pat Robertson) thinking means that crashes are punishments from god – must suffer to expiate our sins – "Liquidate liquidate liquidate – purge the rottenness out of the system" leads to counterproductive moves – cutting budgets instead of spending – decreasing money supply instead of increasing money supply needs to match economic activity and productivity growth – then it was just luck – how much gold is dixscovered

19 rules for markets and science

transparency openness – like a referee in a game – cannot help either competitor but must have clear simple as possible rules EQUAL FOR EVERYONE – no advantage for rich or special knowledge or secret rebates or links thru stock ownership – Supreme court gives corporations privacy rights much better than individuals – JUDICIAL ACTIVISM ON MAMMOTH SCALE

"In the Slaughterhouse the rights of free labor, blacks, civil rights, union rights slaughtered by property rights – rights of contract"

– Scene on vide of Sherman land – old owner holds up contract – that trumps any fairness, labor law, environmental law etc – Federalist society

environment in 1880's and 1890's encouratges cheating – big profit with little effort – honest stock brokers who want a long term bisiness are most impatient for order and fairness

No coercion But new corporations and interests can buy senators and stack the rules in favor of the rich "Capital"