Essay/Term paper: Politics

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Humanities

Throughout American history there have been changes

that have shaped the way we live today. Some of them are

small things: for example the way we vote, the way

requirements for a citizenship are obtain and other minor

things that does not effect every person at any given time.

There are also many consistent ways we have lived in

America through our history such as: the two party systems

and how we are represented have been constant for a long

period of time in the United States. None of these things

are as important as the end of segregation and our

economic structure, capitalism. These two effect the entire

country continuously throughout history, no matter who you

are our what your beliefs or your political views.

Capitalism is one of the longest and most important

constants in America today. It's emphasis around the

"America Dream" defines America and appeals to many

countries, that you can own your own land, business,

house, car, or almost anything you could ever want. This

is the very essence that has separated the United States for

the rest of the world for a long time. The idea that the

harder you work and the better of a job you do will bring

you financial success in your life.

What would happen to America if we no longer had

capitalism as our economic structure? There have been

two times in American history when capitalism was almost

taken away from us. If WWII had a different outcome, as

it almost did, wouldn't the country be almost forced into

Fascism? This may seem as a unlikely outcome but what

would of happen to the "American Dream." During the

Cold War it was a stand- off between Capitalism and

Communism. If was a very tense time, and some say it

was just luck or a toss of the dice that we didn't convert

and the Soviets did. Since these changes would of happen

in the last half-century the effects would still be felt in

America. What would happen to the "American Dream"?

The way that every one lived in this country would be

completely changed. The way we did business, the way

we bought clothes, when we went out to eat, everything.

The reason of is because the Communism and Fascism are

very extreme when compared to Capitalism. Fa!

scism is extremely right wing and a dictator controls the

government and his power is enforced by his military.

Communism is extremely left of center which has many

more citizen help programs such as: health care, medicare,

welfare, in this country has a hard enough time dealing with

these problems without the economy forcing it upon us. If

Capitalism were to change to anything else in this country, it

would be the hardest adaptation the country could ever

face, or any other large economic country for example the

current situation that the former Soviet Union is in. That

kind of change is absolutely devastating to a country.

An important change in American history has to be one

that effects everyone at any given time. The period of

segregation in this country effected everyone. It effected

how we rode the bus, where we went to school, where we

lived, and it often effected peoples political views. When

major things like these effect your daily life people become

involved. Since the end of the Jim Crow era which began

to end in the late 60's to the civil Rights Act of 1964 which

made it a federal offense to discriminate against a customer,

a patron, or in employment because of race, color, national

origin, religion, or sex. Before that we had the 14th and

15th Amendments which gave blacks the right to vote and

equal protection. Segregation took on the country

discriminating against blacks and other minorities since the

end of the Civil War when the Jim Crow era started.

Blacks had to go to different stores, schools, restroom,

neighborhoods, and even different water fountains.

Whatever ha!

ppened to the melting pot theory? How are people

supposed to learn without understanding the other point of

view? Segregation finally did come to an end and

communities, schools, and other public places finally came

into multiracial and multicultural places. What would have

happened if such extreme segregation was still around

today and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 didn't pass and the

case of Brown v Board of Education had a different

result? Brown v Board of Education was a court case, in

which the court emphasized that the rights protected belong

to each and every individual, not to the group to which he

or she may belong. If segregation were still around today,

the country would be completely different. Blacks would

be more suppressed would which would lead to more inner

city violence and more and more distinct ghettos in urban

America. It could also be argued that all education could

be lower cause there would half to be more schools to

build and that cost would low!

er the change of anyone getting a quality education, besides

most public schools have a hard enough time dealing with

there budget.

These two items may be the most influential

characteristics that this country has ever had. They both

effect everyone at anytime at any given situation in present

day America. To take either one of these things away in

America or to go back on how we did things in the past

would be not be ignorant but stupid. It would unnecessary

and very damaging to the citizens of this country. They

both are responsible for the American Dream, which is the

reason way so many people flew to our country. It puts us

on a pedestal in front of the entire world and sets the

standards for the rest of the countries. Without Capitalism

and the changes that ended the Jim Crow era could we call

ourselves the United States, should we call ourselves the

United States.