CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM (Week 8 and 9 Readings)

In "The Moral Case for Competitive Capitalism, Revisited," what does Lawrence Reed say about socialist countries that seem to work, such as Sweden, often put forward as a model of “democratic socialism”? What argument does Don Billings make in that piece in his quoted essay about the morality of capitalism? What has been the result of Socialism in Venezuela? What does Marian Tupy of The Atlantic mean when he says "Bernie is not a socialist, and American is not capitalist?" What does he say about the economies of "social democracies" in Scandinavia compared to the United States? What the arguments against raising the cap on Social Security taxes in an attempt to keep the system from going bankrupt?

What are "The Blessings of Free Trade" according to James K. Glassman of the Cato Institute? What trade policy does he suggest would most benefit U.S. citizens?

THE MINIMUM WAGE (Week 10 Readings)

What does former McDonald's CEO Ed Rensi have to say about a $15 Federal minimum wage? What does The Christian Watershed have to say about economic conservatism and Christian morality? About the minimum wage?

What does economist Paul Krugman say about the idea that economics are a "morality play" and that the economic order we have is playing out some kind of deep moral principles? What does he say to those who see welfare-state  "redistribution" of income as a "vile injustice"? Who was Jeffrey Tucker's friend Tad, and how does he illustrate "the cruelty and carnage" of the minimum wage?

HONORS PRESENTATIONS (Week 10)

There will be questions on the seven honors presentations, so make sure to attend or watch the presentations before taking the exam, pay attention and take notes. There will probably be about one question per presentation on the final.