Posting by Boeun Kim(김보은)_W4_Economy

summary :

 

  The material tells us the concepts and history of economy. Economy have developed with a human's actions of exchanging things each other to survive or for convenience. There are two representative perspectives of economy : capitalism and socialism.

  The capitalism from 8-12 century, the gold age of roman empire and islam, has economic devices to operate society. Commodities, money, labour power, means of production, production are that's it. The important thing is capitalism allows private property which (according to critics of capitalism) towards oligopolistic structures. Critics of capitalism argue that there are many side effects of capitalism such as destructing eco-systems.

Socialism derives from protesting economical inequality and gap between the rich and poor since the appearance of the industrial Revolution. There are examples of nations which chose the socialism at Asia, Europe, and Latin America. And socialism also has critics of it's ideology in common with capitalism.

 

 

Interesting points & Discussion :

 

Marx

 This week, we learned on Marx’s ideology. I was so impressed about his thinking because he knew that the human is important. I mean, in that time (18-19 century industrial society) almost workers were ignored by bourgeois who have factories or powers. The most important thing was productivity so many people (especially manual workers) lived in poor surrounding. Marx indicated that problem and insisted necessity of welfare.

 

Question

 This is interesting. Then today, how we explain that almost nations which so called ‘advanced country’ choose capitalism? Why the people of capitalism nations averagely experience better welfare than the people of nations which insist socialism or communism? As teacher said, There are no good or bad ideology itself. Then what is the problem? I think you know that reasons.

 

Discussion

  Anyway, I am surprised at Marx start talking about welfare of people that time. Since the Korean War (6·25) was, South Korea had a prejudice such as ‘socialism and socialist are bad.’ In times past, 1950-1980 South Korea, the government arrest people who read a book about socialism or communism. In that time, the actions advocating socialism and communism were sensitive and dangerous problem. But now, we know that government’s action was just means to sustain ruling powers. Unfortunately the prejudice delicately remains until now. For example, most of people in South Korea have distorted thinking about socialism such as confusing meaning of socialism with meaning of non-democracy.

  Well, the two economical ideology, capitalism and socialism, are in common with that their purpose is ‘happiness.’ As teacher said, there are no good or bad between two concepts. We must not confuse economical ideologies with political ideologies.

copyright from :

 

welfare (picture 1) :

http://www.philanthropicpeople.com/2013/01/23/why-we-need-welfare-reform-now/

happiness (picture 2) :

http://neatoday.org/2016/04/19/happiness-in-the-classroom/