Is poverty inevitable under capitalism? Why or why not?
– HERE ARE QUESTIONS FOR THE TWO ESSAYS, THE CLASS MATERIALS THAT SHOULD BE THE ONLY SOURCES FOR YOUR ANSWERS THAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED, AND A SAMPLE ANSWER THAT I WORKED ON THAT YOU COULD USE FOR SOME GUIDANCE ESSAY ONE BUT FEEL FREE TO NOT USE IT AT ALL.
ESSAY ONE (min 1000 words)
Is poverty inevitable under capitalism? Why or why not?
What is racial capitalism?
What are some ways of how racial capitalism has operated historically in the us?
Because capitalism is an economic system that has historically exploited its laborers, poverty is inevitable. A big takeaway from our readings proved that capitalism inherently generates inequality, which results in poverty for some segments of the population.
Although capitalism has been credited with fostering economic growth and innovation, it has also exacerbated wealth inequality and left individuals trapped in poverty. One of the biggest advantages of capitalism is its ability to drive economic growth and prosperity through competition. This results in the creation of jobs and higher incomes for a large portion of the population. The idea is that as economies grow, and more opportunities become available, more people are left out of poverty. However, because this sort of economic system leads to the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few individuals or corporations which is big concern because it leads to income disparities, limited access to resources, and most importantly, it perpetuates cycles of poverty for those on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum. More specifically, socioeconomic status, education, and family background can significantly impact one’s ability to access quality education, healthcare, and job opportunities. This limitedness for upward mobility can perpetuate poverty across generations. However, while capitalism created inequality, there have been safety nets created by the government through welfare programs, unemployment benefits, and healthcare assistance to alleviate the hardships of the poor, but their effectiveness and comprehensiveness can significantly impact poverty rates in capitalist societies.
In conclusion, the relationship between poverty and capitalism is complex, and although it has definitely contributed to economic growth and prosperity and benefited many individuals, it also leads to wealth inequality and limited access to opportunities, which lead to increased poverty rates. Because of these inherent characteristics, poverty is much more likely to occur in this kind of economic system. Maybe, if there was a way to find an equal balance between economic growth and social welfare, there would be a more inclusive society where individuals have the chance to thrive and lead fulfilling lives, irrespective of their socioeconomic background, but as of now, I believe poverty is inevitable under capitalism
The idea of racial capitalism examines the intertwined nature of race and capitalism, as well as how these two factors have influenced the development of both social and economic institutions. It investigates how racial hierarchies, exploitation, and discrimination have been linked to capitalist activities, strengthening racial disparities. Racial capitalism will be defined, discussed in its historical framework, and some of its historical manifestations in the United States will be examined. Racial capitalism’s fundamental goal is to comprehend how race and capitalism have interacted to produce and maintain social and economic inequalities. The idea acknowledges how capitalism has exploited and marginalized certain communities for the advantage of others by not just relying on but also maintaining racial differences. Deep historical origins underlie this interaction between race and capitalism, particularly in the context of the United States. Through the system of slavery, racial capitalism has historically played a crucial role in the US. Plantation owners were able to create and export agricultural products like cotton thanks to the transatlantic slave trade, which gave them access to a cheap and exploitable work force. Racial hierarchies were necessary for the continuation of slavery in order to defend the horrific treatment of Black slaves and to protect the financial interests of slave owners and their backers. Through the exploitation of recently freed Black people during the Reconstruction era, racial capitalism survived the end of slavery. Black farmers were forced to work on property owned by white landowners in exchange for a share of the harvest in a practice known as sharecropping, which evolved as a new kind of labor exploitation. This structure ensured that there would always be economic inequality and that African Americans would always be economically dependent. Additionally, during the Jim Crow era, racial capitalism persisted by denying African Americans access to economic possibilities. Black communities’ economic opportunities were consistently restricted by racial inequities and discriminatory housing, education, and employment policies, which further entrenched segregation and a cycle of poverty. Redlining became a key tactic of racial capitalism in the early twentieth century. Denying loans and financial services to Black individuals and communities based on their location successfully prevented them from accumulating wealth and assets through homeownership and entrepreneurship. The exploitation of ethnic minorities did not stop with Black communities. For example, the Bracero Program, which permitted Mexican migrant workers to come to the United States to work on farms during World War II, relied on cheap labor while providing poor living conditions and few worker safeguards. This system profited economically from racialized immigrants while promoting racial hierarchy. Another historical aspect of racial capitalism is the exploitation of Asian immigrants. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 prohibited Chinese immigration, and Asian laborers were abused in areas such as mining and railroad construction, where they were paid far less than their white counterparts. Throughout the twentieth century, racial capitalism operated through the prison-industrial complex, incarcerating Black and Brown people disproportionately for nonviolent offenses. Private prisons, which profit from individual incarceration, demonstrate how capitalism has been entangled with the racialized criminal justice system. Throughout the twentieth century, racial capitalism operated through the prison-industrial complex, incarcerating Black and Brown people disproportionately for nonviolent offenses. Private prisons, which profit from individual incarceration, demonstrate how capitalism has been entangled with the racialized criminal justice system. The selling of Black culture and identity has recently emerged as a notable example of racial capitalism. The appropriation of Black music, fashion, and art by mainstream media and corporations frequently exploits the original work of Black artists and entrepreneurs while failing to fully support or recognize them. To summarize, racial capitalism is a complex and pervasive term that investigates the interaction of race and capitalism in the formation of economic systems and social structures. Racial capitalism has worked in the historical setting of the United States through a variety of ways, including slavery, sharecropping, segregation, redlining, exploitative labor practices, and the prison-industrial complex. Understanding the historical roots of racial capitalism is essential for addressing and eradicating the systematic racial inequities that persist in modern society. It advocates for a thorough investigation of how capitalism continues to sustain racial hierarchies, as well as the implementation of measures that promote economic justice and equity for all. The essay called “Race, innovation and financial growth” discussed the role of race in shaping the US economy through the example of foreclosures. Foreclosures started when colonists used racialization and debt creation as tools for indigenous dispossession to generate credit, accumulate land, and exacerbate racial economic inequality. This differentialization of races fostered expirementation and innovation which led to economic disparities and the formation of racial identities, made land a commodity, racial inequities in the real estate market.
INCORPORATE ONLY THE FOLLOWING CLASS MATERIALS AND MAKE THE RESPONSE CENTERED AROUND THE IDEAS FROM THESE MATERIALS. MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE ALL FOUR
1 – David F. Ruccio. “Capitalism” and Marc Bousquet “Labor.” In Keywords for American Cultural Studies, Second Edition, edited by Bruce Burgett and Glenn Hendler (New York: NYU Press, 2014), 37-40, 142-145:
Capitalism-1.pd
2 – Matthew Desmond, “Capitalism,” in The 1619 Project, A New Origin Story (New York: Random House Large Print, 2022), 165-186
Desmond, Capitalism.pdf
3 – K-Sue Park, “Chapter 1: Race, Innovation, and Financial Growth.” In Histories of Racial Capitalism, edited by Destin Jenkins and Justin Leroy (New York: Columbia University Press, 2021), 27-52:
Chapter1RaceInnovation,andFinancialGrowth.pdf
4 – Review the “United States Census Bureau’s National Poverty in America Awareness Month: January 2023” website, https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/poverty-awareness-month.html
ESSAY TWO (min 750 words)
Labor exploitation under sharecropping and tenant farming in the jim crow south
Labor exploitation in the bracero program in the southwest
What are the consequences of these programs for poverty in the US to this day?
Define labor
1- Labor-1.pdf
2 – Leon Litwack, “Chapter Three: Working,” in Trouble in the Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow (Alfred A. Knopf, 1998), just pages 114-149: Chapter Three- Working pages 114-149..pdf
3 – Leon Litwack, “Chapter Three: Working,” in Trouble in the Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow (Alfred A. Knopf, 1998), just pages 150-178: Chapter Three- Working,” pages 150-178..pdf
4 – Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” in The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story (London: Penguin Books, 2021), 17-24: The One Who Walk Away From Omelas (1).pdf THIS CLASS MATERIAL IS A STORY BUT YOU HAVE TO RELATE IT TO CAPITALISM AND POVERTY IN THE ESSAY
Requirements:
Poverty and Culture Summer 2023 Midterm Due Monday, July 24 by 10:00 PM EDT Submit your final exam as a Word Doc to Canvas Worth 15 points total The midterm consists of two essays. For both essays you are expected to engage substantively with the class materials Essay One: Expected length at least four paragraphs or about 1,000 words minimum. Eight points. Do you think that poverty is inevitable under capitalism? Why or why not? What is racial capitalism and what are some of the ways that it has operated historically in the US? Draw on at least 4 class materials in formulating your response. Essay Two: Expected length at least three paragraphs or about 750 words minimum. 7 Points. Compare and contrast labor exploitation under sharecropping and tenant farming in the Jim Crow South with the Bracero Program in the Southwest. In your response, define labor. What do you think are the consequences of these programs for poverty in the US to this day? Draw on at least 3 class materials that you did not use for essay one in formulating your response. Both essays must: ¥ Use 12 Point Font, Double Spaced, Regular Margins. ¥ Include in-text citations in parentheses (author last name, page number, for texts; title for podcasts) any time you use a quotation or cite information that is not common knowledge. You can also use footnotes. ¥ Include a list of works cited at the end of EACH essay. Use Chicago Manual of Style. See: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html and https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html ¥ You can only use assigned materials listed on the Syllabus. You CANNOT conduct outside research. ¥ This is an individual exam; you cannot work on it with others. ¥ ChatGPT can NOT be used for any part of this exam. ¥ Because you have limited space, prioritize supporting your arguments with clear evidence. Try to be as specific and detailed as possible. Limit your use of direct quotations and instead put the material into your own words.
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