Respond to the following questions in your post:
Does capitalism work well for American society–why/why not? (What are its benefits/drawbacks?) Why did capitalism seem to “naturally progress” in early 19th century society?
Central Academy: Social Sciences: Mrs. Snyder
Today in History- National Weather Service: then known as the United States Weather Bureau, was founded; it used to alert fruit growers to the approach of stormy weather by telegraph (1870)
- Davis Cup: international tennis competition was played for the first time; its donor, Dwight F. Davis, won (1900)
- war time: clocks were turned forward one hour in the US to aid the war effort; this change to daylight-saving time was year-round and lasted till the end of WWII (1942)
on Nov 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Capitalism definitely works better than the old systems of apprenticeship and putting out systems in providing the majority of Americans various opportunities to make money and succeed. The putting out system, the intermediate between the early artisanal-based society and the modern capitalist one, involved risk-taking merchants taking control of a certain industry and thus turning away from bartering to buying and selling. This “natural” shift resulted largely from the improvements in transportation and industrialization. The nation united and built a sense of American identity.
on Nov 4th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Capitalism works well for America because the government allows for creativity and protects the idea of free trade. However, there are parts of American government (such as the public school system) which are socialist in nature. To raise the country out of the Depression, socialist measures were also taken. One drawback of capitalism would be the working conditions that workers lived in during the Industrial Revolution. However, the people in America were sometimes able to move to be yeoman farmers out on the frontier as opposed to workers in Europe who did not have any options. This shows that the industrial ways of work worked better in American than in Europe. The natural shift to capitalism came out the high demand for good which took artisans too long to make. Merchants got the idea to make lower quality goods for cheaper prices.
on Nov 4th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Capitalism started during the industrial revolution as morey factories started opening and more opportunites oportunites opened up. Capitalism creaties competition between people and gives people the chance to better themselves and move up in social class. A drawback would be there is not an equal distrubiton of wealth.
on Nov 4th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Capitalism does work well for America because it helped stabilize the economy and it gives opportunites for people to advance economically and socially. However, this reliance on goods means that America’s economy is very vulnerable if other countries’ economies fail or other economic problems occur. Also, it made Americans more dependent on businesses instead of relying on theirselves so if these businesses fail then the people are left to suffer. If businesses fail then many people lose their jobs and since these people don’t grow their own food, for example, the loss of a job means that people will starve as demonstrated during the beginnings of the industrial revolution. Capitalism naturally progressed because of the potential profitability of making goods faster and cheaper and selling them cheaper as well. Once people realized this profitability they didn’t want to “waste their time” with waiting for expensive goods to be made by a professional and instead invested in these factories. Also, people were very concerned with “getting rich quick” and the factories seemed like the best way to accomplish this (for the owners/managers of these factories).
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
sure (but it would work even better without corruption(hint hint))
it gives people a chance to start a bussines or buy land they cant pay for all at once etc. If they start a business they can (hopfully) make more money then they put into the equipment or whatever they bought with the credit. or on the other side it just makes your budget easier to manage. HOWEVER credit is a fancy word for loan which means someone is in debt and debts have to be paid eventually. but what happens if the bank loans you money they dont have because their confident in the circulation of money? but then (worse case scenario of course) massive amounts of people withdrawal money that they put into the bank (who was loaning out the money in means to gain more)? thats when the situation gets sticky…
IN the 19 centurury people liked the idea of borrowing and paying it back when they got more money. so obvioulsy poeple made big investments in this idea and big investments help get things going…right? right.
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I believe that capitalism does work well for America because it gives American’s the chance to succeed and make money quickly. This system helped stabilize our economy, and has also protected the idea of free trade. Capitalism has enabled Americans to work hard for money, and then exchange their currency for goods and services. A downside of capitalism is excessive desire for money by some capitalists, which is viewed in a negative light by many who are against capitalism. Capitalism seemed to naturally progress in the 19th century because people living during this time liked the idea of borrowing, and then paying it back later.
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Does capitalism work well for American society–why/why not? (What are its benefits/drawbacks?) Why did capitalism seem to “naturally progress” in early 19th century society?
Yes, because capitolism provides the American society with opportunity and luxury. Opportunity and luxury develope because of the large markets where anyone may buy or sell goods. Some markets are so large that they are world wide introducing consumerism. The main draw back is capitolism also brought about credit. This is a problem because many people mis-use credit by spending credit when they don’t have the money to back it up. Capitolism naturally progressed starting from before the 1800’s. In pre industrial time (before the 1800’s) families made a specific item or crop and bartered for what they needed. This ment you had to work hard to become credible and a master at your craft. Then buisnessmen would ask banks for a loan to buy material. The buisnessmen would then give the material to anyone to make and the makers would then be compensated for the amout of products they make. This is reffered to as the putting-out-system. Since this system did so well, the demands of the people increased and drove buisnessmen to creat better ways of production. Their solution was factories. Once factories became a success, the market revolution occured resulting in wonderful capitolism. =)
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Capitalism does not work well with American society. Capitalism gives the idea that anyone can be wealthy and live a luxurious life, but in reality, society does not allow for all to live a life like this. The wealthy in this system, in a way do not allow for the poor to achieve their status, through greed. The truth is, that the majority of the people in this country for past generations and present, do not and can not handle their money with care, respect, or intelligence. Our system of capitalism makes the rich richer and the poor poorer, but not because of the system’s structure, but the people who are on top. For example, the trickle down system, in theory is great, but in reality, it doesn’t work because the wealthy do not let that extra money trickle down. Although capitalism does not work great with our society, it has definitely developed our country since the 1800s. This is because many people have had and still have a strive for wealth. It makes people work to be at the top, but unfortunately, only a small few can be up there.
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Yes, capitalism works in the United States. It provides the American people with many oppurtunities to succeed. The system began to naturally progress in the early 19th century, because the Industrial Revolution started and the American people learned how to make better decisions in our market. They were producing more. The concept seems to be passed onto following generations and the new generation was familiar to it because it is what they had been used to.
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Yes, capitalism works and has worked in the US. From the get-go of the beginning of the industrial revolution, the economy thrived on the idea of anyone has the possibility to get rich.
I think it is good for America because it is the basis of the “american dream” and it provides everyone with an equal chance. It also reflects values of hard work and determination.
It worked in the 19th century because of the developing businesses with vast opportunities.
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I think the only reason why capitalism works in America is because nothing else would work in place of it. The industrial revolution, and Reagan and now capitalism enforce the get rich quick ideals that so many americans strive for. America thrives on large companies, small towns thrive on locally owned stores. Regardless, America is all about buying and selling.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Capitalism does strive in the American economy, it provides the people with several new job opportunities as well as an opportunity to live in luxury. The markets established after the industrial revolution made the process of mass-producing high quality goods more affective. The production of these goods continued to progress through the 19th Century because it provided the nation with more capital to create further developments. The downfall of capitalism, however, is that when the markets are not on top, the people dramatically suffer. If at the peak of the economy, the rich are richer, but those who already were suffering often times struggled even more.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
i think i would rather live in a society based on trade. It woul dget ride of alot of the competitivety, and get rich quik ideas alot of people have now. Also people wouldnt have to worry about not having enough money to feed their families. Because their skills in work or othe rposetions could get them food.i think capitilism became so popular because people wanted to find ways to become richer, and do it quiker.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I would say that capitalism works very well for American society. The American society is a society of unlimited wants that must be satisified immediately. In the preindustrial world, this feet could not be met. However, with the implementation of the system of capitalism the “intimacy” and durabillity of hand made objects are all but lost. In the early 19th century the idea of broad trade for cash took of during this period, and not everyone will have the abililty to barter for the goods they need, thus the need for cash. Yeah capitalism!
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
APUSH per 2
Yes………..there is such high demand for items, and if you use the old master/apprentice system you cant make that many items, and you lose profit. With high demand there must high supply, so that is why capitolism works and is better for america…………..so yeah…………………………………………….
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Capitalism is comparatively better than the previous putting out or apprenticeship systems; it also is more viable in today’s globalized economy. The American economy started to pick up as industrialization and transportation were modernizing. These systems acted as a catalyst for the Market Revolution. I think capitalism has grown to be a necessary aspect of American society. Capitalism has become a symbol of American power and progress. It has, in times, been the savior of the people; however, more recently, it has become the scapegoat for America’s, the consequentially the world’s, economic troubles.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Capitalism works very well in America. It enabled Americans to make and buy goods on a scale never seen before. The competition that capitalism provided made people strive to become better, therefore bettering the nation. The market revolution, and the emergence of capitalism, put America on the map and made them a contender of the world. However, although there are many benefits there are also a number of setbacks. Capitalism was a very high risk endeavor. While some people got rich quick, others felt the sting of a highly dynamic economy. Also, because so many people were concentrated in the cities, starvation became much more common. Capitalism also took away the strong local bonds that communities had. While, the nation as a whole became more unified, people could no longer rely on theri neighbors for support through rough times. It naturally progressed because of the spirit of America. America was very bold at the time and so was capitlaism, so the new economic system went hand in hand with the new nation’s attitude.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I believe that capitalism does work well for America because it gives American’s the chance to succeed and make money quickly. This system helped stabilize our economy, and has also protected the idea of free trade. A downside of capitalism is constant want for cash by some capitalists, which is viewed in a negative light by many who are against capitalism. Capitalism seemed to naturally progress in the 19th century because people living during this time liked the idea of borrowing, and then paying it back later.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
America is defined as the land of opportunity. Capitalism provides much of this establishment by creating a market system that allows people to easily begin their own businesses and to take risks and make a profit. Capitalism made the American economy boom and demanded that other nations recognize and respect it. In general capitalism sped the whole process of the market up, giving all people a more direct reward but sacrificing quality for quantity. Capitalism also made purchasing goods very easy, setting the perfect stage for the idealology of the necessity of materialsm. Capitalism progessed because merchants and businessmen had little to lose and took giant strides towards industrialization despite possible setbacks.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Kenny Cortum
Per. 6
Yes, capitalism works it gives a chance for everyone to do what they want and gives them the chance for the pursuit of happiness. If it wasn’t for capitalism and the market revolution i believe todays society would be worse. The idea that capitalism spread eventually caused many immigrants to come to our nation and work and eventually bringing rist-takers and others. It also brought along organized labor soon enough that gave benefits and work hours to all workers. Again it was the pursuit of happiness that caused people to get out of their natural enviroment and try new things and ideas. If it wasn’t for capitalism today would be a drearier place.
In my opinion, capitalism progressed because people were able to do anything like support a family, and get themselves and their children educated, or something that personally effects a lot of americans entering a union trade that would ensure your benefits. It was like jumping off a cliff, and land at the bottom unscathed. And this risk-taking attitude was the start of capitalism.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Does capitalism work well for American society–why/why not? (What are its benefits/drawbacks?) Why did capitalism seem to “naturally progress” in early 19th century society?
I believe that Capitalism works very well in America. it gives americans many new oppertunities for jobs as well as the oppertunity to strike it rich. the markets developed after the indusrtial revolution were able to produce high end goods very cheap and efficiently. the success of these markets made more capital for america therefore able to better its economy. capitalism naturally progressed in the 19th centery because many people had a strive to strick it rich and the business owners had the newly made capital to invest into the economy. therfore further help capitalism take a steady hold in our economy.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
yes, capitalism works for the united states. The switch from the the putting out system to our current capitalist system occured naturally with an increase in demand and progression in the means of transporting materials. The current system is beneficial in that those who work hard are capable of expanding and makind more money, but the system relies heavily upon consumer demand and is greatly affected by economic fluxuations. Sellersare often put out of buisiness when one of these fluxuations hits. sound familiar…?
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Capitalism works well for the US because of the diversity and quantity of demand, so it is easy to create a business in almost any area and have buyers. It is good because it helps make the US the land of opportunities and dreams where anyone can become rich. Unfortunately, through making people rich, others are put down into poverty and depression. Also, with little market control, speculation and over-extension of credit can create a collapse like the ones seen in the Great Depression and right now. Capitalism naturally progressed because more and more people were coming to America and buying things, creating a large demand that the artisan system couldn’t support. This led to the putting-out system and later factories were the demand could be met.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Capitalism is alright in moderation, but in American it leans toward an extreme making it problematic. Obviously it provides opportunity “for all people to become wealthy.”
That in itself is a lie, because to begin a business one must invest a large sum of money. Those who are poor from the start, are unable to do this, hence the phrase “the rich get richer, while the poor get poorer.” There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor in America. Capitalism not only allowed the gap to form but is no allowing it to continue expanding. Also, the distinguishingly rich population do not spend a large portion of their capital, hoarding it in family fortunes, thereby allowing less opportunity for the spread of wealth. The rich often obtain an unfair influence in politics, increasing corruption, and hurting the less fortunate by swaying legislation to their own favor.
“Nationalization,” which is more accurately called socialization, should be applied in healthcare and education, considering that many socialist nations have better education and healthcare programs than our very own, capitalist USA.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
above post by Liza Mitrofanova APUSH Period 2
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Yes, i believe that capitalism works for the United States. It gives citizens the chance to fulfill their dreams in whatever that may be; an employer, factory worker, or rich businessman. It created the “American Dream” which was the reason so many immigrants came to the US. This oppurtunity, to take risks and become rich, appealed to many which led to a rise in our population and a stabilzation of our economy. Capitalism allowed us to grow into the strong powerful country that we are seen as today. Some downfalls of it would be that it destroyed the community bonds, reputations and put quantity over quality. The changes of the 19th century, in regard to too much demand over limited supply, presented challenges. The apprentice systema and putting out system were just too slow. Luckily for them, The Market Revolution was helping to increase production with new technology and modes of transportation. This led to the development of capitalism which seems like the only way forward for america in that time period.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Audrey Baker
Period 6
Capitalism works for the U.S.A. because it gives every person an equal chance. Although it gives everyone an equal chance, it does not mean everyone will become successful and rich. People who start poor cannot make money as easily as someone who starts off with money. Although today’s society and economy are in a mixed-up state right now, capitalism and the market economy help keep it somewhat stable.
Capatilism is not all good though. There was too much demand for too little supply. Poorly made things and a ruined community showed in that. The putting-out system didn’t make enough money, fast enough and soon that system faded. The Market Revolution improved things like transportation and technology which led to industrialization. Capitalism has helped our nation move foward to a better tomorrow!
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I think that capitalism is the best option for American society. It provides opportunity to all people, though some people are in tougher situations. Though capitalism has its problems, I believe that it has made our society better, and there is not another system that i think would be better for America.
Capitalism naturally progressed as society did. As technology became more advanced and living standards improved, previous economic systems no longer applied.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Anna McNulty
Period 6
Capitalism does work well for America. It truly embraces the freedom the USA is known for by allowing a free market to control production and price. Although this freedom is positive to some, others see capitalism as negative aspect of American society. Some believe the market exchange threats cultural and religious traditions. Other problems include an unfair distribution of wealth and a tendency toward market monopoly.
Capitalism seemed to naturally progress in the nineteenth century as it allowed great increases in productivity and major social changes. Towards the end of the 18th century, enclosure and the agricultural revolution in the western world left many families poor and unemployed. Familes moved to cities in search of better jobs. This influx of human capital, combined with increased mechanization and Adam Smith’s concept of the Division of Labour, allowed vast increases in production, and great wealth for those who controlled the production.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I think capitalism does work well for America because it allows the country to negotiate with other countries, and within the country, for the benefit of the country. It’s a win-win situation for both our country and the one who we are negotiating with. There is investments being made, and distribution. Capitalism became in the 19th century, the means of industralization, for mostly all of the world. Mercantilism started to decline and the idea of economic liberalism came into place.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
the recent post was by Jessica Maciel period 2 APUSH
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 5:24 am
Capitalism works well for American society today, because it has been so ingrained into out minds that it is the best way to do things, truth be told there has not been any other type of economic system in America since the 19th century. There are always going to be drawbacks such as the slums of the early 20th century, and the lose of unions power due to an immigrant work force. While it may have its drawbacks in today’s world where everything is productivity based for the most part, capitalism is probably the best system. Capitalism naturally progressed, because of the transportation revolution which led to more trade and more demand for goods. It also progressed, because for the needs of the time (make more goods) the British had the best system (factories), couple that with a market revolution, where case and credit are key, and you got capitalism.
Harrison Hayward
Period 6 APUSH
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 5:46 am
Connor Blanchard
APUSH Per. 6
Capitalism does work well for the American society today for a few reasons. Capitalism works better than the putting out or apprenticeship systems did. THey worked too slow and when the Market Revolution took place and new technologies and ways of transportation came around, things moved faster. Factories could produce goods faster, so the demand became higher. Capitalism also works and ties into the American Dream. Everyone in America has equal opportunities and can live the life that they dream of if they work for it. Capitalism introduced the idea of credit, or buying things that you don’t really have the money for so that you can have it and pay it off when you have the money. This was a good thing for instance if you wanted to start a business. Some of the drawbacks of capitalism would probably be when people go overboard with their credit and get themselves deep into financial trouble. Some argue that the Capitalist system only makes the poorer poorer and the richer, richer, which could be true in some cases. Another drawback would that it made quantity more important than quality for the factory businesses. There is no perfect solution to any problem, but Capitalism has worked best for America.
Capitalism naturally progressed into the Capitalistic society it is today because of the easier and faster ways of new transportation, more trade, the ability to produce enough goods and meet the demands. Capitalism provided more jobs and opportunities, so America was a good place to move to if you were not happy in your home country because here you could start over and build a new life. You could go to school, and start your own business if you wanted. There are many job opportunities. Capitalism has worked the best for America, and it will continue to work well and make many people happy to be here.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Capitalism works for America because it allows people to have an equal opportunity. If our country stuck with more traditional systems, such as apprenticeship, we would not have progessed so well. Unlike Apprenticeship, capitalism allows Americans to explore new jobs and new opportunites, which helps promote the American dream. This allows for people who are in the working class to work hard and become rich, and helps promotes the freedoms and equality of the United States.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Yes and no. It led to technological advances. There was more education. And more jobs for everyone. However, it also led to lower pay for factory workers. Skilled master craftsmen also lost their jobs to factories. Working conditions became horrible in the factories. It progressed because of American innovation and inventions to make machines better. Everyone was able to work and get a job, just not a very good one.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Capitalism works well in the United States to a certain extent. One of the major cons of this system is that a large number of people end up with poor living conditions. Another fault is that the wealthy (upper class) seem to control over half of the nation’s wealth. The rich are the only ones who can run for a political office as they are the only ones who can afford to do so. Without the rise of capitalism in the United States, the middle class would not have emerged and developed distinct culture and values. Capitalism also gives any person the chance to be whoever they want to be. Capitalism seemed to emerge in the 1800s because of the rise in manufacturing and transportation upgrades. People were now able to move about the country with ease and could trade with other regions more effectively. Manufacturing was the key factor in the United States becoming pure Capitalism.
Regan Parker
Period 2 APUSH
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Capitalism is useful to america, but it does have its faults. it can lead to poor living conditions, and the wealthy have control over the countries wealth. However, the rise of capitalism led the middle class to develop and provided for education and technological advances. Capitalism emerged following the industrial revolution in the 1800s. It’s growth was spurred by more effective trade patterns and transportation upgrades.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Capitalism works well for America because it makes sure that you can get the same product for the same amount where ever you go. You don’t have to try and figure out what a pair of shoes is worth according to milk and eggs or other things that would be used to barter. Capitalism seemed to progress because banks were giving out money to people who were using it to open factories and they would use money to pay the people working in the factories. Therefore, the barter system was being used less because people had money to use.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Emily Baker
p.6
Capitalism works well for America because it provides a lot of opportunities for average Americans to become successful and make a lot of money. It also ensures free trade, which enhances the economy. It also replaced the bartering system with a cash economy, which made the regulation of trade prices easier and constant. The only bad thing about capitalism is that it increases the difference between the poor and the wealthy and can make it harder for poor people to become wealthy. The reason that it seemed to progress during the 19th century was because the idea of credit was appealing to many people because they could get money when they needed it and just had to pay it back later.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Allie Becker
Period 3
1. Yes, capitalism works well for American society. It provides opportunities for everyday people to reach the “American Dream”, and promotes economic growth. Without capitalism, we would either be dependent on other nations, or there wouldn’t be as many of us, because not enough goods could be produced. If capitalism didn’t work so well, Americans would have found a different basis for their economy. Capitalism does have its drawbacks though. For one, wealth is distributed unequally. Some capitalists gain their wealth by exploiting their workers. The inequality of wealth distribution can lead to social problems (i.e.- higher crime rates).
2. Capitalism “naturally progressed” in the 19th century because population rates had started to get high enough that journeymen and master craftsmen weren’t supplying enough to meet the demand. Some saw this problem, and realized that they had an opportunity to make a profit and little by little others caught on until it was a full-scale revolution.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Capitalism works well for America in certain respects, but not well in others. On one hand, it supports the American dream – to get rich, and get rich quick. Anyone can enter the market to compete with other private businesses, and the idea of the patent helps to protect success. On the other hand, there are extremes created: the extremely rich, who dominate the market (examples would be Wal-Mart or John Deere, Adobe or Saks), and the extremely poor, who have no chance of competing in a market already dominated by someone else (why give examples? You wouldn’t have heard of them). Every system has benefits and drawbacks, though, and capitalism was a “natural progression” from the barter and putting out systems.
The original system, the barter system, involved trading goods or services for other goods or services. Since almost every business was small and locally based, and learning the trades was a long, trial-and-error process, it was a poor system in terms of economic growth. But when the putting out system developed, learning was no longer time-consuming or financially risky, and more profits were made. When the owners of these businesses discovered that they could make even more money by bringing their workers to them, factories and mills evolved, with sometimes brutal conditions offered to the workers. However, since America had still millions of acres left for development and there was no need to save space, and due to the rapid development of technology, these working conditions were relatively short-lived, and capitalism soon adopted its final form.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Period 2
I think that capitalism works well for the U.S. because it is what drives the greatness of the economy of this great country. Some benifits are that it allows large quatities of things to be produced, while a drawback is that the quality is not as good. Capitalism seemed to naturally progess because more demand was needed and because a lot of families had ‘extra’ kids and the factor/capitalistic system fit right in.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Capitalism works well for American society because it discourages central economic planning, therefore allowing all people to participate in the workforce and the cash economy. Capitalism allows all working people to strive towards becoming rich and living happily, however, some people who are already extremely poor and find it difficult to obtain a job are not given a fair chance in society and remain to have an unstable way of life.
Capitalism naturally progressed in the 19th century with the establishment of factories brought up by industrialization, which introduced a new way all people, even those unskilled workers, could get a job. Even though conditions of factories and mills were not always satisfactory, they gave people a sense of independence and freedom, allowing them to believe that even though they were not skilled artisans, they could support their families.
Anna Swan
APUSH Period 2
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Capitalism works well for the US because it allows workers to reap more benefits the harder they work as opposed to other systems like communism where there is no incentive to work harder. Capitalism naturally developed during the 19th century because of the demand for goods. The Master and Apprentice system couldn’t meet the rising demand so a new system had to arise and replace it.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Capitalism works for the United States because it gives almost everyone an opportunity. People who work hard have a greater chance at becoming successful in life. It has setbacks, but the benefits outweigh them. It developed because the master, journeymen, and apprentice could not meet the demands of society. Therefore, a better, more efficient system had to be created to meet those demands.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Dylan Loring Period 2 APUSH
Capitalism works amazingly in America. Capitalism allows people the freedom to create their own business or product. The competition for a niche in the market gives the consumer many products to choose from and causes manufacturers/entrepreneurs to try and make their product or service the best quality or the least costly. Capitalism naturally progressed in the early 19th century because products were easier to make in a factory than by a skilled worker. This led to the creation of many factories and more factory workers that earned money to spend on more goods and services. Instead of farming for food and bartering Americans were working and got paid money. It was and still is a circle of earning money through capitalism and spending money at capitalistic establishments.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Capitalism works for the United States. It creates many jobs and oppertunities for people to open new businesses. Capitalism alows businesses to differ so people can be creative and adventurous.It allowed children from farmming communities to get out and see a new way of life and meet new people. Capitalism, however, has its drawbacks. When capitalism first started in the United States the work was difficult. The factory days were long and people often became sick. The workers earned little wages, and education suffered because of it.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Capitalism is the basis of the american dream of becoming wealthy and powerful. It also promotes free enterprise. But with wealth and power also leads to greediness and putting yourself ahead of others. In the 19th Century, capitalism was good and bad, like any new innovation it takes some time to get used to and work out the kinks in it. Although it helped produce new things faster, the working conditions were hard and things were not handcrafted. Capitalism also led to the emergence of the middle class.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Capitalism is a hit or miss principle. For the most part, it worked well in the 19th century. The middle class developed, and the economy was generally stable. Recent events have led to doubt in a capitalistic society. With the debt the government is in and the thinning middle class, it’s easy to be negative. But I think we’ll be able to pull through.
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Capitalism is a much better system than the previous putting-out system in the United States and led our country to become very strong and powerful. Capitalism helps the economy grow, gives more opportunities for each person to thrive in their community, and gives many the chance to become wealthy and financially stable. Capitalism also led to the creation of the middle class, which is an important part in our American Society. Several people believed it would lead them to the “American dream.” The development of capitalism in the 19th century changed the way many view labor systems and industrialization and largley benefited the American economy.
Libby Caris
period 2 APUSH
on Nov 7th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Will Mackaman period 6
The capitalist system fits the US economy better than socialism. Hard work is rewarded through a higher income. A citizen of the United States is able to achieve whatever he or she wants depending on how hard he or she works at it; someone’s level of education being an example. Socialism could’ve worked under the right leaders and conditions, but capitalism developed in America in the nineteenth century because of the market revolution and industrialization’s influence on job compitition. However, a drawback of capitalism is that all men are not necessarily equal under the system. The rich typically stay rich, while the poor typically remain poor.
on Nov 10th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Yes, capitalism works in the United States. It provides the American people with many oppurtunities to succeed. The system began to naturally progress in the early 19th century, because the of the start of the Industrial Revolution and the American people learned how to make better decisions in our market because of it they were producing more. The concept seems to be passed onto following generations and the new generation was ready for the new industrious society because they had grown up with it.
Cole Smith
P2
Sorry this is so late, but I didn’t have time friday night because I was in a car accident.
on Sep 4th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
In general, capitalism works well in the Unites States. The benefit is that, like most things “American”, capitalism provides us with a free market. It allows for creativity, uniqueness, and great success, as well as significant failures (aka a good part of the economy/businesses today). One of the characteristics of capitalism that I like the most is that it gives people an innitiative to work. Theoretically, the harder one works, the more wealthy that person will become. The problem? Key word: THEORETICALLY. Obviously, our country spans a variety of income levels, from the very rich to the very poor. There are some very poor Americans that work extremely hard, often working two or three jobs at a time. Similarly, there are some very wealthy Americans that “don’t deserve” to be as wealthy as they are. Unfortunately, not all Americans start out on an equal level, although if they get a good education, get a job, make good choices, etc., they should be able to succeed within our economic and social system.
I would say that capitalism fit in well with American ideals. When people came from Britain, they were looking for a new start where they could control their government, including the economy. They wanted freedom, and that’s what capitalism offered- the opportunity to theoretically sell, make, or buy whatever they wanted however they wanted.