...ideas about charity and generosity. Barrow uses sermon to persuade the rich people in his country to be charitable to the poor. Moreover, Barrow is being repetitive in his work, which is good because he wants to the readers to get his main ideas of being charitable to the poor, and he also relates charity to God and official Church of England. He emphasizes that being charitable will change God’s decisions on salvation and if you are not charitable you will be damned. His sermon also backed up by church’s doctrine, so the wealthy people of England believe on what Barrow stated. He stated that people were born equally, but economy in the world creates discrepancy between people, which he wants the poor also be equally recognized as a person and the poor can feel some luxuries that the rich people have. On the other hand Swift use ironic satire to mock about the careless attitude in his country, also he has gone to extreme on his proposal, giving nasty concept and illustration to draw people’s attention. In his work, he tells the poor family should sell their baby as food, because they will get money for it, and the burden of raising the children are gone. He also support his proposal by giving calculations of how much money the poor have to spend to raise a child and how much money will the family get for selling it. This sort of calculation supports his ideas that by following his proposal, poverty problem can logically be solved from Ireland. Barrow and Swift works have some...
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...between rich and poor Since 2008, the investigated bank, Lehman Brothers has gone bankrupt. It was one of the most significant turning points of the economic crisis of 2008. Because of the economic crisis, the economy of the U.S. has begun to fall. Even though wealthy people lost some of their profit due to the economic crisis, it doesn’t affect a lot for their property. Poor people are most affected by the economic crisis. They have to face a lot of problems, including unemployment and low wages. The economic crisis increased a large gap between rich and poor. In the article, “The Growing Gulf Between the Rich and the Rest of Us” written by Holly Sklar, she agreed that there is a gap between the rich and the poor, and it is rising now. Her argument is strong towards the fact that poverty in America is on the rise. In addition, she mentions that while the poverty is growing, the wealthy people are also on the rise. Sklar is surely right about the gap between the rich and the poor. It is a significant issue for us to know about such inequality. During hard times, the rich still can have their benefit. However, the people who really need money cannot get any help from the rich. While economic inequality has existed over time and occurs in more nations than simply the United States. Some balanced and fair intermediary institution is required to solve the growing problem of debt and poverty in the nation. There is much evidence that proves the growing gap between the rich and poor...
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...than that of the poor. It has been increased, compared with 9 times in 2007 and it means that income disparity has been exacerbated proportionately. The report especially highlight that the gap between rich and poor has been growing more quickly than the gap that has widened over the past 12 years. A global gap between rich countries and poor countries is more serious than ever. Erik Reinert, the author of a book titled "How rich countries got rich and why poor countries stay poor?", discusses about this long title itself regarding the issue above. Once again, "How rich countries got rich and why poor countries stay poor?" Reinert is considering about what causes this phenomenon and how can we fix this problem in this book. Orthodox development economists argue that mainstream economics(neo-liberalism) and international free trade can narrow the wage and rich-poor gap between rich countries and poor countries. Reinert criticizes them because there don't exist any exmaples of success in narrowing the gap historically and argues that "harmonious economy" is not a result of internationl free trade and laissez-faire but conscious policies since in contrast to rich countries which are already developed through protectionism, direct subsidies and government intervention so ready for free trade, poor countries are not because of their incompetitive industries. In other words, fair competition which free trade theory says cannot be possible. Rich countries got rich by following the...
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...Rising awareness about the widening gap between rich and poor has sparked social and political issues around the world (Treanor, Oct 13, 2015). The gap between rich and poor has grown larger in last few decades, and the problem is getting worse (Treanor, N.P). The reason why the widening gap between rich and poor is a problem is that the wider gap often lead to greater inequality among people, yet society has not found a way to solve this inequality (Treanor, Oct 13, 2015). To make it easier to demonstrate how income difference results in social inequality, CEOs, for example, who gives workers minimum compensation, work in top floor of high rise office buildings where they can overlook an entire city, whereas some people work more than 40...
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...chose were, “Are the Rich Happy?” written by Stephen Leacock (1916) for the narrative essay and “Homeless” written by Anna Quindlen (n.d.) for the descriptive essay. The title of both essays is what caught my eye and the reason why I read them. Although, I enjoyed reading both essays, I felt the descriptive essay “Homeless” had more value and was the better read. Therefore, in this essay, I am going to compare/contrast the author’s purpose, the difference in their use of descriptive language, and the impact on the reader’s that each author intended to accomplish through the essay that they wrote. I also plan to show why, in the case of these two essays, I felt that the descriptive essay “Homeless” was the better read. One comparison of these two essays is the descriptive language they use. A narrative essay is written to tell a story. In the essay “Are the Rich Happy?” the author Leacock tells a story of his encounters with people he thought to be rich. He sarcastically tells the story using some vague descriptive language. His descriptions are not such that you can see or feel but, so that you understand who he is talking about, their expressions, and their lifestyles so that you can see the comparison he is making between the rich and the poor. In his essay he speaks of a man who makes fifty thousand dollars a year and has told him with great frankness that it is impossible to keep up with the rich and that it is better to accept the fact of being poor. He speaks of how the...
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...chose were, “Are the Rich Happy?” written by Stephen Leacock (1916) for the narrative essay and “Homeless” written by Anna Quindlen (n.d.) for the descriptive essay. The title of both essays is what caught my eye and the reason why I read them. Although, I enjoyed reading both essays, I felt the descriptive essay “Homeless” had more value and was the better read. Therefore, in this essay, I am going to compare/contrast the author’s purpose, the difference in their use of descriptive language, and the impact on the reader’s that each author intended to accomplish through the essay that they wrote. I also plan to show why, in the case of these two essays, I felt that the descriptive essay “Homeless” was the better read. One comparison of these two essays is the descriptive language they use. A narrative essay is written to tell a story. In the essay “Are the Rich Happy?” the author Leacock tells a story of his encounters with people he thought to be rich. He sarcastically tells the story using some vague descriptive language. His descriptions are not such that you can see or feel but, so that you understand who he is talking about, their expressions, and their lifestyles so that you can see the comparison he is making between the rich and the poor. In his essay he speaks of a man who makes fifty thousand dollars a year and has told him with great frankness that it is impossible to keep up with the rich and that it is better to accept the fact of being poor. He speaks of how the...
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...to identify problems in society and solve it. The gilded age Although many people would argue that the reformers did not fill the gap between the rich and the poor, but the reformers successfully solved the major problems of the gilded age such as putting an end to child labor, corruption and combating monopolies. During the gilded age children faced risks while working...
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...American Dream Myth The American Dream of achieving economic equality among all people and providing equal opportunities to both the rich and poor alike is now no longer a dream but rather a myth. The reason being, the country has been plagued by the problem of an ever-growing inequality. According to Nobel-prize winner, Joseph Stiglitz, it is both a tragedy and irony that determination, work, and vision are no longer the keys to one's success in America (Streight, 2015). Instead, Stiglitz says, “being born to rich, well-educated parents is the best indicator of future earnings” (2015). The situation is now making it harder for Americans born to low-income families to climb the ladder of economic prosperity leaving them stuck in a poverty cycle. The current economic state is such that more than 80% of American resources are now controlled by only 20% of the American population (Domhoff, 2013) The indication is that the American dream of achieving economic equality among all U.S. citizens is indeed not only a myth but also dead (Wyatt-Nichol, 2011). Two different artifacts that illustrate the component of the American Dream Myth are songs and movies. First, songs are providing a revolutionary world in America where only the rich are represented. Gone are the days when the songs were composed with an aim of reflecting the problems in the American society. In America, songs are now sung to represent one’s flashy life as if it is a platform of declaring one’s wealth. Many...
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...“The problem of our age is the proper administration of wealth, that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together the rich and poor in harmonious relationship”. Andrew wanted to find a way for the rich and poor to help each other, but that did not happen throughout the Gilded Age. There were two ways to live during the gilded age either poor or wealthy, shown through their living and health conditions. The differences on how the poor and wealthy life during the Gilded Age can be seen through how they both lived. For instance, the wealthy lived comfortably in exclusive mansions,“Some of the richest urban residents lived in palatial mansions located in exclusive neighborhoods in the heart of the city-Fifth Avenue in New York…”. The wealthy...
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...The health problem in lower SES groups is often discussed. Differential exposure hypothesis theorizes that the higher prevalence of health problem in lower SES groups is associated with a greater exposure to psychological stressors. Differential vulnerability hypothesis suggests that low SES individuals have less well equipped to cope with stressors because they have a fewer material and social sources. Relative Deprivation was significantly correlated to perceived stress, while Relative Gratification was not (Holland, 2011). The markers of hopelessness are evident in income, education, and employment data, in differences in mortality, marriage, and incarceration rates, and in other signs of societal fragmentation. However, trends in hope and...
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...chose were, “Are the Rich Happy?” written by Stephen Leacock (1916) for the narrative essay and “Homeless” written by Anna Quindlen (n.d.) for the descriptive essay. The title of both essays is what caught my eye and the reason why I read them. Although, I enjoyed reading both essays, I felt the descriptive essay “Homeless” had more value and was the better read. Therefore, in this essay, I am going to compare/contrast the author’s purpose, the difference in their use of descriptive language, and the impact on the reader’s that each author intended to accomplish through the essay that they wrote. I also plan to show why, in the case of these two essays, I felt that the descriptive essay “Homeless” was the better read. One comparison of these two essays is the descriptive language they use. A narrative essay is written to tell a story. In the essay “Are the Rich Happy?” the author Leacock tells a story of his encounters with people he thought to be rich. He sarcastically tells the story using some vague descriptive language. His descriptions are not such that you can see or feel but, so that you understand who he is talking about, their expressions, and their lifestyles so that you can see the comparison he is making between the rich and the poor. In his essay he speaks of a man who makes fifty thousand dollars a year and has told him with great frankness that it is impossible to keep up with the rich and that it is better to accept the fact of being poor. He speaks of how the...
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...the earliest form of political organization which is patriarchal in form. Wherein the original family expanded through the marriage of the children, thus, forming new families; the family broadened into a clan, then the clan developed into a tribe; until it grew into a nation. I see that this primitive theory of state suggests a similarity in our present situation. Like the case of the political structure in our country which had hitherto having families running the entire province and even the entire nation if left unresolved. Having that situation is not the real deal in the problems of our political structure, that is, we are facing the reality that only the wealthy people must step inside the politics. Then they say that we have the so called conflict of interest. But my opinion would be that this so called conflict of interest is nothing but a defective premise. As a realist, there is no way a poor person can run effectively in the government in a nationwide scale; and I can even extend this to state and local level. The main reason for this is about the campaign finance...
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...concentrations of wealth are essential (Dudley 17). Throughout time Henry George began to realize that because of monopolies, the rich have left the hard working poor people voiceless, and that the riches are the cause of the corrupted government. “This element of monopoly, of appropriation and spoliation will, when we come to analyze them, be found largely to account for all great fortunes…” (Dudley 16). Many men have made their fortune off of buying a piece of land in the early days that later became very valuable, not by enduring hard work (Dudley 16). If one had a clear understanding of social issues it is easily recognized that monopolies allow...
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...the obligation to lessen the economic gap between its rich and poor citizens? The government does have the obligation to lessen the economic gap between rich and poor citizens for many reasons. A couple of the reasons as to why the government can proceed with this action are because it proses a violation to a representative government and it cause social problems. Governments mainly lessen economic gaps through advanced taxation, particularly income taxes, and redistributive welfare programs. The economic gap is a large difference relating to the production, distribution, and use of income wealth. The rich are known for having wealth and for having an abundant supply of resources/funds while the poor are recognized by people with little/no money or different type of ways of support. When the government allows the economic gap to enlarge, it violates the individual’s rights to equality. Absence of a representative government would threaten all human rights because there would be no establishment for equality. This is exactly what will happen if income inequality is to take over. The rich citizens will make it to where the poor’s voice will be unheard. It is not fair to have a government where more money means more power, so in order for the government to protect equality; they must reduce the income gap. The government should learn more towards lessening the economic gap because it creates social and health problems between individuals. A few studies on this particular...
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...Are the rich happy? Sasha Winther 2.p – Solrød Gymnasium Stephen Leacock’s literary achievement is largely in the mastery of the comic sketch. He has written a collection of short pieces that are unrelated to each other. He writes styling is miniaturist, and his focus is on the small details. The subject he usually writes about, are extensive, but usually appeals to the average man. The humor is a form of frustration or mild victimization, in this case the rich man’s sadness over the resignation of his butler. ’’Are the rich happy?’’ is written by Stephen Leacock, 1916. It is from the collection Further Foolishness: Sketches and Satires on the Follies of the Day. The text has an episodic structure, and there is a lot of narration. He tells a story of his encounters with people he thought to be rich. He sarcastically tells the story using vague descriptive language. The descriptions are unclear, one cannot see or feel, but it is easy to understand who he is talking about, their expressions, and their lifestyles. He makes a clear comparison between the rich and the poor. In his text he speaks of a man who makes fifty thousand dollars a year and has told him that it is impossible to keep up with the rich and that it is better to accept the fact of being poor. He describes how a man can only give him a plain meal that he calls a home dinner, but that it takes three men and two women to serve it. Stephen Leacock shows his opinion by using sarcasm. It is the irony and the...
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