Capitalism and the Natural Environment

1886 Words4 Pages

Concept of capitalism can be difficult to understand. It is commonly identified by economist and political philosophers as a system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated in the free market in exchange for a profit (Galbraith, 1952). The economical/social system determines the structure of production, the allocation of inputs and outputs, and consumption of goods. Capitalism remains popular in America because it values freedom, much like the people in our country. This is true because it allows individuals to set their own plans and pursue their own goals; in addition, one can decide what career they would enjoy most, thus creating an incentive and reward for achieving ones ambitions. In a free market, everyone is free to start a business, raise capital, and place their product on the open market. This allows subjects the opportunity to put their idea into practice, and succeed or fail based on merits of the plan. Those who succeed bring us new and improved products at lower costs, creating economic growth and development. Businessmen have the liberty to charge the price of their product; however to achieve maximum earnings supply and demand is used to determine the premium price. The government plays the role as the paternal authoritative figure, by dictating what one can and cannot do; these rules are made to protect the people from their unaliable rights. Government agencies like the US environmental protection agency (EPA), the animal protection agency (APA), the securities exchange commission (SEC), and the internal revenue agency (IRS) are some examples of the organizations that are responsible for the fundamental rules that affect the economy and environment. The relationship is united by the val...

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...cientific law is used to understand the concept that energy cannot enter or leave the system, and when energy is changed from one state to another, we will decrease the amount of energy available to use (weber, 2010). The scientific law is an important one to understand because it allows scientist to measure the matter quality and the resource productivity. This law serves as a direct proof to our unsustainable ways. As we take from the natural environment to process finished goods, it is inevitable that energy will be lost along the way. This consumption of natural resources can also cause climate change, as seen on the video “the inconvenient truth”. Al Gore does a good job in explaining the relationship to climate change and unsustainability (Gore Al, 2006). There are many reasons for people to understand the relationship of capitalism to our natural environment.

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