Political Economy


 I. Capitalism: Free Market Economy

    A. Basic Elements

        1. Private property

        2. Free Access to market

        3. Rewards for productivity profit motive

        4. Competition

        5. Limited government powers

        6. Free market balances

    B. Results

        1. Wide spread economic growth

        2. Wealth for some

        3. Poverty for some

        4. Natural resource exploitation

        5. Short term emphasis

        6. Exaltation of individual

        7. Pursuit of material well being

II. Socialism

    A. Basic Elements

        1. Political control over enterprise

        2. Mixed economy

            a. Private property limited

            b. Public ownership or regulation of means of

                production, transportation, communication

        3. Extensive Government Regulatory bureaucracy

    B. Results

1. Redistribution of wealth/poverty

        2. Levelling tendency

        3. Economic retardation

        4. Confiscatory Taxes

        5. Social Welfare State

III. Political Manipulators

    A. Taxes

    B. Expenditures

    C. Regulations

        1. Business

        2. Environment

        3. Safety

    D. Monetary Controls

       1. Currency

        2. Interest Rates

    E. International Actions

        1. War

        2. Duties

        3. Trade Regulations

IV. Global Issues

    A. Environmental Degradation

    B. Archaic Social Values

    C. Third World Debt

    D. Inequitable Wealth


Key Websites

The Economist

International Political Economy Community

The World Bank

Political Economy

World Trade Organization