SOWK 2100 Chapter Notes - Chapter chapter 3: Neoconservatism, Paul Volcker, Neoliberalism
13 Sep 2017
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Week 2: chpt 3 notes - due sept 18. In the early days of human civilization, the economy was a pretty simple affair. They only made enough food and goods for them to lest to the next year. Eventually humans learned they could deliberately cultivate useful plants, and agriculture began. It allowed for permanent settlements (with the opportunity to build better homes and other structures). the greater productivity of agriculture allowed society to generate an economic surplus: production beyond what was required just to keep the producers alive. The existence of a surplus allowed some members of society, for the first time, not to work. Different economic systems handled this fundamental issue in different ways: monarchist systems, a powerful elite controlled the surplus and its allocation based on inherited birthright. Slavery was really powerful and straight forward, but there are drawbacks to this unethical practice. The slaves were often very bitter and held grudges.
