Subsidies Are Payments, Economic Concessions, Or Privileges Essays

Subsidies are payments, economic concessions, or privileges given by the government to favor businesses or consumers. In the 1930s, subsidies were designed to favor agriculture. John Steinbeck expressed his dislike of the farm subsidy system of the United States in his book, The Grapes of Wrath. In that book, the government gave money to farms so that they would grow and sell a certain amount of crops. As a result, Steinbeck argued, many people starved unnecessarily. Steinbeck examined farm subsidies from a personal level, showing how they hurt the common man. Subsidies have a variety of other problems, both on the micro and macro level, that should not be ignored. Despite their benefits, farm subsidies are an inefficient and dysfunctional part of our economic system. The problems of the American farmer arose in the 1920s, and various methods were introduced to help solve them. The United States still disagrees on how to solve the continuing problem of agricultural overproduction. In 1916, the number of people living on farms was at its maximum at 32,530,000. Most of these farms were relatively small (Reische 51). Technological advances in the 1920's brought a variety of effects. The use of machinery increased productivity while reducing the need for as many farm laborers. The industrial boom of the 1920s drew many workers off the farm and into the cities. Machinery, while increasing productivity, was very expensive. Demand for food, though, stayed relatively constant (Long 85). As a result of this, food prices went down. The small farmer was no longer able to compete, lacking the capital to buy productive machinery. Small farms lost their practicality, and many farmers were forced to consolidate to compete. Fewer, larger farms resulted (Reische 51). During the Depression, unemployment grew while income shrank. "An extended drought had aggravated the farm problem during the 1930s (Reische 52)." Congress, to counter this, passed price support legislation to assure a profit to the farmers. The Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 allowed the government to limit acreage use for certain soil-depleting crops. The Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 allowed the government to set the minimum price and amount sold of a good at the market. The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, farmers were given price supports for not growing crops. These allowed farmers to mechanize, which was necessary because of the scarcity of farm labor during World War II (Reische 52). During World War II, demand for food increased, and farmers enjoyed a period of general prosperity (Reische 52). In 1965, the government reduced surplus by getting farmers to set aside land for soil conservation (Blanpied 121). The Agricultural Act of 1970 gave direct payments to farmers to set aside some of their land (Patterson 129). The 1973 farm bill lowered aid to farmers by lowering the target income for price supports. The 1970s were good years for farmers. Wheat and corn prices tripled, land prices doubled, and farm exports outstripped imports by twenty-four billion dollars (Long 88). Under the Carter administration, farm support was minimized. Competition from foreign markets, like Argentina, lowered prices and incomes (Long 88). Ronald Reagan wanted to wean the farm community from government support. Later on in his administration, though, he started the Payments In Kind policy, in which the government paid farmers not to grow major crops. Despite these various efforts, farms continue to deal with the problems that rose in the 1920s. Farm subsidies seem to have benefits for the small farmer. "Each year since 1947, there has been a net out-migration of farm people (Reische 53)." American farm production has tripled since 1910 while employment has fallen eighty percent (Long 82). Small family farms have the lowest total family incomes (Long 83). Farming is following a trend from many small farms to a few large farms. Competition among farmers has increased supply faster than demand. New seed varieties, better pest control, productive machinery, public investments in irrigation and transportation, and better management will increase farm output. The resulting oversupply of farm products, which creates a low profit margin, drives smaller farms out of business. Smaller farms lack the capital and income to buy the machinery they need to compete with larger farms (Long 85). Many see this tendency towards consolidation and mechanization of farms to be harmful to the United States in the long run, and they see subsidies as a way of achieving a social desire to preserve the family farm. "If the family farm represents anything, it's a very intimate and fundamental relationship between people and resources (MacFadyen 138)." Fewer farms mean fewer jobs and a higher concentration of wealth. Ten 30,000-acre farms may

Arab Americans Populations by State

Arab Americans Populations by State As a bloc, the 3.5 million Arab Americans in the United States are becoming an important economic and electoral minority. The largest concentrations of Arab Americans are in some of the most contested electoral battlegrounds of the 1990s and the 2000s - Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In the early 1990s Arab Americans tended to register Republican more than Democratic. That changed after 2001. So have their voting patterns. The largest block of Arab Americans in most states is of Lebanese descent. They account for a quarter to a third of the total Arab population in most states. New Jersey is an exception. There, Egyptians account for 34% of the Arab American population, Lebanese account for 18%. In Ohio, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, Lebanese account for 40% to 58% of the Arab American population. All these figures are based on estimates by ​Zogby International, conducted for the Arab American Institute. A note about the population estimates in the table below: ​Youll notice quite a disparity between the 2000 Census Bureau figures and those of Zogby in 2008. Zogby explains the difference: The decennial Census identifies only a portion of the Arab population through a question on ancestry on the census long form. Reasons for the undercount include the placement of and limits of the ancestry question (as distinct from race and ethnicity); the effect of the sample methodology on small, unevenly distributed ethnic groups; high levels of out-marriage among the third and fourth generations; and distrust/misunderstanding of government surveys among more recent immigrants. Arab American Populations, 11 Largest States Rank State 1980Census 2000Census 2008Zogby Estimate 1 California 100,972 220,372 715,000 2 Michigan 69,610 151,493 490,000 3 New York 73,065 125,442 405,000 4 Florida 30,190 79,212 255,000 5 New Jersey 30,698 73,985 240,000 6 Illinois 33,500 68,982 220,000 7 Texas 30,273 65,876 210,000 8 Ohio 35,318 58,261 185,000 9 Massachusetts 36,733 55,318 175,000 10 Pennsylvania 34,863 50,260 160,000 11 Virginia 13,665 46,151 135,000 Source: Arab American Institute

Chapter 31.1 1-9 Flashcards Example for Free (#31)

Chapter 31.1 1-9 Created new ideas on space, time, energy and matter. He created the theory of relativity, how motion is the key to his idea. Relative motion is the key to Einsteins theory so it was called the theory of relativity A Australian physician whos ideas were like Einsteins. He studied the human mind and said there was a â€Å"irrational† part of the mind where people did not know what was happening and they did whatever made them happy. The idea that there is no universal meaning to life German philosopher who argued that reason and democracy was destroying people’s creativity and actions. He wanted people to return to ancient heroic values and pride. A new art movement that was inspired by a world of dreams and real life A new style of music that emerged that was developed in New Orleans and Chicago. It was loose and lively. He was the first American pilot who made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. In your opinion, whose contribution has had the most lasting impact? I think Albert Einstein because his ideas were very revolutionary and they are still used today. They put a base idea to use for the rest of time. Why were the ideas of Einstein and Freud revolutionary? Because they showed how people and things worked and their minds and their ideas are still being used today How did literature in the 1920’s reflect the uncertainty of the period? People were uncertain of wether to keep using democracy or start using their ideas and being creative. What impact did the increased use of the automobile have of the average people? Families were able to travel more for fun, cars were more affordable, it made transportation easier and faster and more fun. Why do you think writers and artists began exploring the unconcious? I think so because they wanted to see how different parts of the human mind worked and why this one part was so different. Why did some women begin demanding more political and social freedom? Because new things were being created and women wanted the opportunity to have more political and social freedom. Why were new medical treatments and inventions developed during WWI? So new weapons could be improved or created and used as battle tactics in WWII or any upcoming fights â€Å"Buy a radio today! Listen to latest news, plays and live sporting events on the air!† Einstein QUIZ HYBRID Atomic Bomb Controversy Einstein Child Einstein Chap 26 Sec 5, Chap 28 Sec 1Questions Part VI: The Twentieth Century Chapter 7: EMR, Planck, Einstein, de Broglie, Bohr APUSH- CH. 34 & 35 Philip Glass Knee Play 1 from Einstein On The Beach company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy We will write a custom sample essay on

Afterimages and Token Identity Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Afterimages and Token Identity Theory - Essay Example I have just stared at a bright neon light bulb shaped like a cow for exactly one minute. When I close my eyes, I can see an afterimage of the cow, but it is changing colors and the shape is shifting somewhat. After a while, the image disappears entirely.To answer this question, there seems to be three logical positions for explaining what I see. First, there is the assertion that the afterimage doesn't exist at all. This position makes a certain amount of sense to me, because I understand that seeing requires the use of my eyes and that my eyes respond to light. If my eyes are closed, there is no light hitting them and I shouldn't be able see anything. This view is problematic for me, however, because I can still see the image before me. It may be changing colors and the shape may be shifting, but I can perceive it very clearly. If the image did not exist at all, then I wouldn't be able to see it. Therefore, since I can see it, it has to exist somewhere. The second position is that t he afterimage exists, but it isn't physical. I can accept this idea more easily than the first because it allows me to believe in the reality of what I see without having to prove that it exists in a physical sense. This view is also problematic, however, because it challenges my rationality; I am seeing the image when I shouldn't be able to. I can describe the changes in color and shape. Even though the image eventually goes away, I know that I continued to see it after I closed my eyes. I don't have a good explanation for why I can see it, however, because I know that it isn't physically possible for me to see it. To adopt this position, I have to explain why I can see something that is no longer there; and that isn't very logical. The third and final explanation for the afterimage is that it exists and that it is physical. On its face, this position gives me the most options for believing in the image that I see because I can attribute its reality to a physical process. Even thou gh I may not be able to explain exactly what is happening, this position allows me to assert that the image is real and that there is a rational physical or biological reason for it. Unfortunately, this position has its own difficulty with my understanding of vision. Even though I can describe the afterimage in terms of its shapes and colors, to assert that there is a physical reason violates what I know about the biological process of vision. I see with my eyes because light stimulates the nerves and those nerves transmit the image to my brain. If my eyes are closed, then I shouldn't be able to see anything because there is no light coming into my brain. Once I close my eyes, the neon cow cannot be truly seen because there is no more light being processed by my visual nerves. Determining the answer to this question is difficult because I have to balance what my eyes are seeing with what I know about vision. As Seager states in his discussion of token identity theory, "[t]he essential idea is that mental states are ascribed through the interpretation of behavior under the constraint of rationality" (54). My mental state of seeing the colored cow and interpreting its behavior is constrained by my own rational mind. My position. I will argue for position two, the view that the afterimage exists, but it is not physical. Even though this position has problems, I think this is the best explanation for the afterimage. First, the image exists for me. I see it, so that excludes position one, but there is no real physical reason to do so; which excludes

Earth's Lithosphere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Earth's Lithosphere - Essay Example All these calamities are associated with changes in climatic conditions across the world. Scientists have not rested in imploring the cause and the solutions of these tragedies. For that case, this paper will discuss the concepts of greenhouse effect and global warming and their collective effects on the climate of the world. The paper will also pay specific focus to Wabash watershed and longitudinal effects of greenhouse and global warming on this surrounding. Introduction Greenhouse effect refers to a situation whereby temperatures of the earth increases due to reflection of terrestrial radiation by green gases found in the atmosphere. Global warming refers to the increase in earth’s temperature occasioned by the accumulated heat on the atmosphere of the earth. Greenhouse effect and global warning are interdependent considering that global warming occurs as a result of greenhouse effect. When the greenhouse gases reflect back terrestrial radiation on the atmosphere of the ea rth, the surface of the earth gets warmed more rapidly there increasing environmental temperature. Greenhouse effect in line with global warming has caused unrest among the scientists to the potential threats that are related tom the two environmental principles. Scientists have since discovered those long-term greenhouse effects will insurrect the temperatures of the earth thereby resulting to unfavorable climatic changes. In the views of Oxlade (2006), greenhouse effect is caused by the presence of particular natural green gases in the atmosphere of the earth. Scientists discoveries unveils that the presence of the natural green gases (carbon dioxide and water vapor) in the atmosphere is significant to the relative temperatures of the earth. The natural green gases are the ones that trap terrestrial radiation in mild form, which in turn maintains the temperatures of the earth. Absence of such gases in the atmosphere would result to low temperatures that would be insignificant to l ife of human beings and other organisms (Oxlade, 2006). However, the main bone of contention and center of controversies arises from the increase in volume of these gases in the atmosphere and the associated risks. Maslin (2007) ascertains that human activities since the beginning of industrial revolution have escalated the volume of the gases in the atmosphere, which in turn has resulted into global warming. According to Maslin (2007), human activities that involve burning of carbon fuels have tragically increased the concentration of carbon dioxide and other gases like nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. Maslin (2007) elucidates that accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere and their merger with atmospheric moisture has resulted into the formation of perceived partial blanket that reflects back long wave radiation from the surface of the earth. Excess accumulation of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has also contributed into depletion of the ozone layer that made of thr ee elements of oxygen gas responsible for the absorption of toxic solar radiation. Oxlade (2006) demonstrates that increased rate of deforestation has is one of the uncontrolled human activities that have led to increased levels of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. It is scientifically approved that trees and green vegetations found on the surface of earth play a critical in the absorption of carbon dioxide gases. Depletion of trees and natural vegetations will therefore lead to

Emersons self reliance :: essays research papers

R.W. Emerson’s Self-Reliance The essay has three major divisions: the importance of self-reliance (paragraphs 1-17), self-reliance and the individual (paragraphs 18-32), and self-reliance and society (paragraphs 33-50). As a whole, it promotes self-reliance as an ideal, even a virtue, and contrasts it with various modes of dependence or conformity. â€Å"Self-Reliance† Paragraphs 1-17. The Importance of Self-Reliance. Emerson begins his major work on individualism by asserting the importance of thinking for oneself rather than meekly accepting other people’s ideas. As in almost all of his work, he promotes individual experience over the knowledge gained from books: â€Å"To believe that what is true in your private heart is true for all men—that is genius.† The person who scorns personal intuition and, instead, chooses to rely on others’ opinions lacks the creative power necessary for robust, bold individualism. This absence of conviction results not in different ideas, as this person expects, but in the acceptance of the same ideas—now secondhand thoughts—that this person initially intuited. The lesson Emerson would have us learn? â€Å"Trust thyself,† a motto that ties together this first section of the essay. To rely on others’ judgments is cowardly, without inspiration or hope. A person with self-esteem, on the other hand, exhibits originality and is childlike—unspoiled by selfish needs—yet mature. It is to this adventure of self-trust that Emerson invites us: We are to be guides and adventurers, destined to participate in an act of creation modeled on the classical myth of bringing order out of chaos. Although we might question his characterizing the self-esteemed individual as childlike, Emerson maintains that children provide models of self-reliant behavior because they are too young to be cynical, hesitant, or hypocritical. He draws an analogy between boys and the idealized individual: Both are masters of self-reliance because they apply their own standards to all they see, and because their loyalties cannot be coerced. This rebellious individualism contrasts with the attitude of cautious adults, who, because they are overly concerned with reputation, approval, and the opinion of others, are always hesitant or unsure; consequently, adults have great difficulty acting spontaneously or genuinely. Emerson now focuses his attention on the importance of an individual’s resisting pressure to conform to external norms, including those of society, which conspires to defeat self-reliance in its members. The process of so-called â€Å"maturing† becomes a process of conforming that Emerson challenges. In the paragraph that begins with the characteristic aphorism â€Å"Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist,† he asserts a radical, even extreme, position on the matter.

Evils of War Essay

There is no doubt that war is an evil one. It is the greatest catastrophe that can befall human beings. It brings death and destruction, merciless slaughter and butchery, disease and starvation, poverty and ruin in its wake. A particularly disturbing side of modern wars is that they tend to become global so that they may engulf the entire world. But though war is an evil, we must recognize the fact that it is a necessary, inescapable evil. A glance at the past history of the world will show war has been a recurrent phenomenon in the history of nations. We have had wars of all types wars lasting for a year or so and a war lasting for hundred years. Clashes of arms have always occurred. In a world war has ways been waged. War has indeed, been such a marked feature of every age and period. This has come to be regarded as part of The normal life of nations. Poet and prophets have dreamt of a millennium – an utopia in which war will not exist and eternal peace will reign on earth, but these dreams have not been fulfilled. The occurrence the Second World War however, conclusively proved that to think of an unbroken peace’s to be unrealistic and that no institution or assembly can ever ensure the presence of peace. The United Nations Organisation, with all the good work that it has seen doing, is not proving as effective as was desired. A large number of wars, The most recent ones behind the one in Vietnam, the other between India and Pakistan, or Ind-China war, Iran-Iraq war or Arab Isreal war. The fact of the matter is that, fighting is a natural instinct in peace. It is, indeed, too much to exact so many nations to live in a state of eternal peace. Besides, there will always be wide differences of option between various nations, different angle of looking at matters that have an international importance, radical difference in policy and ideology and they cannot be settled by mere discussion so that resort to war becomes very necessary in these cases.