Assignment:
Topic for the Paper
The question you will be addressing in this essay is one that touches on every issue we have discussed in this course:
In our communities and around the world, many people struggle to achieve material standards of living that meet their needs, expectations, and desires. Some look to global capitalism as a source of hope. Meanwhile, others see capitalism as a morally objectionable system that exploits workers and ignores the neediest global citizens. Which of these views is correct? Is capitalism the solution to the needs of the many? Is it an immoral system that calls for replacement?
How to Structure Your Paper
Please respond to this question in a five-part essay following the structure outlined below:
In the first part of your essay, introduce your topic and the main thesis that you will be defending.
In the second part of your essay, articulate the strongest case you can for the claim that capitalism is the best system yet discovered for creating prosperity for the general public. Your argument should make explicit reference to authors and ideas we have discussed in this course, and you should enable your readers to see what features of capitalism are considered most valuable by its defenders. Also, in this part be sure to say what you mean by "capitalism." It would probably be a good idea to start this section with a paragraph about what capitalism is. Otherwise your reader won't really know what it is that you are evaluating in your essay.
In the third part of your essay, articulate the strongest criticism you can against the attractiveness of capitalism. Again, your argument should make explicit reference to authors and ideas we have discussed in this course, and you should enable your readers to see what features of capitalism are considered most objectionable by its critics.
In the fourth part of your essay, give the answer to the prompt that you personally find compelling. In laying out your answer, make sure to explain how your view relates to those you discussed in the earlier parts of your essay. Since your view will necessarily conflict with one of the perspectives you have presented, you should take special care to explain what you think is wrong with the positions that are incompatible with your view.
In the fifth part of your essay, conclude the essay.
You should compose your paper in Microsoft Word, making sure to regularly save your progress so that you do not lose your work. Please make sure that the file is in .docx format, since D2L does not always play nicely with other file types.
Also, note that, although your essay will have 5 sections, it won't have only 5 paragraphs. For each of the body sections of the essay (2-4), you may have more than 1 paragraph in which you develop the relevant arguments.