Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL

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Table of Contents Glossary...................................................................................................................................................................2 Alternative Cant Solve Capitalism Inevitable.....................................................................................................3 Alternative Cant Solve Capitalism Inevitable.....................................................................................................4 Alternative Cant Solve Transition Wars..............................................................................................................5 Permutation ust Wor! Wit"in t"e System.........................................................................................................# Capitalism Goo$ %ree$om&Prosperity ..................................................................................................................' Capitalism Goo$ (nvironment ............................................................................................................................) Capitalism Goo$ (nvironment.............................................................................................................................* Capitalism Goo$ Ine+uality................................................................................................................................,Capitalism Goo$ .emo/ra/y .............................................................................................................................,, Capitalism Goo$ Poverty....................................................................................................................................,2 Capitalism Goo$ War.........................................................................................................................................,3 Capitalism Goo$ War.........................................................................................................................................,4 Capitalism Goo$ Collapse 0ot Inevitable .........................................................................................................,5 ..............................................................................................................................................................................,5

Capitalism Critique Answers

Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Glossary

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Accumulation. When you accumulate items you add to the number of items that you possess. Authentic. Real, true our!eoisie. Wealthy individuals. Capitalism. Capitalism is an economic system in which the means of production are owned. Commo"ifie". If you take a ood !say an apple" and assi n it an economic value#make it available for sale, that item is commodified. Coopte". $ocial movements are coopted when more powerful forces are able to focus the ener ies of that movement on supportin the cause of the more powerful force. #$ploit. % person is e&ploited when his or her labor is used and they are not properly compensated for that labor. %e!emony. 'e emony refers to dominant lobal power. (he )$ is considered to be the dominant lobal he emon now. I"eolo!y. %n ideolo y is a set of ideas that constitute a person*s oals, actions, and e&pectations !Wikipedia". Imperialism. When a country attempts to e&pand its authority beyond its e&istin territory it is referred to as an imperialist power. &as'in!. +askin refers to coverin somethin up so that it doesn*t look like it is. In this conte&t, a pro ram to temporarily address ine,uality could mask#cover up more widespread ine,uality. (reemption. -reemption refers to attackin before you are attacked. (re)ailin!. -revailin means winnin . (he side that prevails in the ame is the winner. (roletariat. (he proletariat is the workin class. Resist. (o resist is to stand a ainst, to oppose. *ocialism. $ocialism is an economic system in which the means of production are owned by everyone.

Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Alternati)e Can+t *ol)e Capitalism Ine)itable ,---.

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,---. Capitalism ine)itable all other stable economic systems are /ust )ariants of capitalism .ames *peth0 /ormer dean of 0ale school of forestry and environmentalism, 1223 !(he brid e at the end of the world, 12234" 5f course, the bi! problem facin! all "iscussions of alternati)es to capitalism is that there "o not seem to be any alternati)es. Throu!hout the Col" 4ar0 the alternati)e was state socialism or communism0 but it is fa"in! fast aroun" the !lobe. As'e" about alternati)es to capitalism to"ay0 most people "raw blan'. $ome would add, for ood reason. It is therefore worth notin! the "i)ersity of economic systems both within capitalism and within socialism, a point stressed by the (ellus Institute.5 4ithin capitalism0 a )ariety of national economic systems e$ist0 where the 'ey )ariable is the "e!ree of en!a!ement of !o)ernment in "eterminin! economic priorities an" social con"itions. %t one end of the spectrum, the so3called %n lo3%merican model appro&imates laisse63faire. 'ere, the market tends to dominate the state. In $candinavia and elsewhere on the Continent, one finds varieties of social democratic capitalism.7 $ocial democratic nations e&ert reater public control over capital investment and have created more comprehensive social pro rams includin hi her minimum wa es and unemployment compensation, reater protections a ainst layoffs, free or near3free health care and schoolin , and so on. In these countries the market and the state are seen as partners. In .apan and elsewhere in %sia, there are systems that can be described as state capitalism, where there is heavy overnment involvement in directin the economy and where the state tends to dominate the market.

Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Alternati)e Can+t *ol)e Capitalism Ine)itable ,---. 6o alternati)es to capitalism ha)e mana!e" to sur)i)e .ohn Isbister0 -rofessor 8conomics, ). Cal 9 $anta Cru6, 1227 !Capitalism and .ustice, p. :;"

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$ome in the capitalist world try to retain or re3create the best parts of precapitalism. $ome %mish and +ennonite communities are based on precapitalist values, as are some other faith3based roups. (he 14;<s and 14=<s saw the creation of secular alternative rural communes, communities whose members tried to eliminate all marks of distinction between them, to be self3sufficient, and to live simply. (he communes had some successes, but most eventually collapsed. Communities such as these ha)e attempte" to embo"y precapitalist )alues0 but none has succee"e" in cuttin! itself off from capitalist influences8 from the mar'et0 from the me"ia0 from the le!al system0 an" from other influences of the mo"ern worl". 4hile we can learn from our antece"ent societies0 we cannot return to them. The "oor has been close" . ,---. Capitalism is too in!raine" to be wishe" away 4ilson0 coordinator of the Independent -ress %ssociation*s Campus .ournalism -ro>ect, 2000 !'ow the Left can Win %r uments and Influence -eople, p 1?3 1;" Capitalism is far too in!raine" in %merican life to eliminate. If you go into the most impoveris"e$ areas o1 Ameri/a2 you 3ill 1in$ t"at t"e people 3"o live t"ere are not see!in4 4overnment /ontrol over 1a/tories or even more social welfare pro rams@ they're hoping0 usually in vain, for a fair chance to share in the capitalist wealth. (he poor do not pray for socialism3they strive to be a part of the capitalist system. (hey want >obs, they want to start businesses, and they want to make money and be successful. WhatAs wron with %merica is not capitalism as a system but capitalism as a reli ion. We worship the accumulation of wealth and treat the horrible ine,uality between rich and poor as if it were an act of Bod. Worst of all, we allow the overnment to e&acerbate the financial divide by favorin the wealthyC o anywhere in %merica, and compare a rich suburb with a poor town3the city services, schools, parks, and practically everythin else will be better financed in the place populated by rich people. The aim is not to overthrow capitalism but to overhaul it. Give it a social- ustice tune-up! make it more efficient, et the economic en ine to hit on all cylinders for everybody, and stop puttin out so many environmentally ha6ardous substances. (o some people, this oal means sellin out leftist ideals for the sake of capitalism. But the ri ht thrives on havin an ineffective opposition. (he Revolutionary Communist -arty helps stabili6e the 7free market7 capitalist system by makin it seem as if the only alternative to free3market capitalism is a return to $talinism. -rospective activists for chan4e are instead channele" into pointless "iscussions about the revolutionary potential of the proletariat. Instea" of wor#ing to persua"e people to accept progressive i"eas! the far left tal#s to itself !which may be a blessin , iven the way it communicates" and tries to sell copies of the $ocialist Worker to an uninterested public.

Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Alternati)e Can+t *ol)e Transition 4ars ,---.

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,---. The brea' from capitalism will be met with transition wars (ed Trainer0 $enior Lecturer in $ociolo y at the $chool of $ocial Work, )niversity of Dew $outh Wales, 1229 !E(he $impler WayF, httpC##ssis.arts.unsw.edu.au#tsw#<G3(he3$impler3Way.html , /ebruary 1H" 7When corporations rule the world7 (his headin , the title of a recent book by David Iorten, sums up the situation that has arisen over the last G< years. A tiny corporate super:rich class has raise" to e$traor"inary wealth an" power an" are now able to more or less run the worl" in the ways that suit it. !%bout 1J of the world*s people now control more than half the capital@ Dote =." (hey run the transnational corporations, the media and especially the World Bank, I+/ and World (rade 5r ani6ation. (heir wealth funds the think tanks, foundations, universities, >ournals etc which pump out the messa e that the neo3liberal way is the best and the only way. Bovernments ea erly comply with this a enda. . (hey have routed the workin class. The Left has been eliminate" as a political force. Abo)e all the rich ha)e crushin!ly won the i"eolo!ical battle establishin! neo:liberalism as the only way. Rich worl" military power is li'ely to be use" ruthlessly a!ainst nations which interfere with this a!en"a of free access for corporations an" inte!ration of all re!ions into the one !lobal mar'et !e. ., 0u oslavia, Ira,." +uch of the literature on lobali6ation is alarmed at this situation of corporate rule@ !see especially Chussudowsky, 144;, /otopolous, G<<G, and many of the works by Chomsky .; There are !oo" reasons for thin'in! that it is now too late to "o anythin! about this rapi" sur!e to worl" "omination by the super:rich0 especially since the 5war on terrorism5 has pro)i"e" a perfect prete$t for crushin! "issent.

Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL (ermutation &ust 4or' 4ithin the *ystem ,---.

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,---. Chan!e in capitalism must occur within the system .ames *peth0 /ormer dean of 0ale school of forestry and environmentalism, 1223 !The bridge at the end of the world, 14G" Breider, a lon 3term Washin ton observer, sees little hope that Washin ton will drive ma>or chan e. E(he lar er point K is that the collision between society an" capitalism has en"ure" o)er many years0 "espite the laws an" shiftin! political sensibilities0 because it is essentially a clash of two "ifferent )alue systems. Go)ernment has not succee"e" in reconcilin! the clash because0 thou!h it issues many rules of "os an" "on+ts for enterprise to follow0 it "oes not attempt to alter the un"erlyin! )alues that shape capitalism+s beha)ior . (o be endurin , that chan!e has to occur insi"e capitalism0 li'e alterin! the !ene system of a plant or animal.<

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Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" =ree"om>(rosperity ,---.

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,---. Alternati)es to capitalism are worse capitalism is 'ey to free"om %ndrew ernstein0 5isitin4 Pro1essor o1 P"ilosop"y at arist Colle4e, 1229 !E(he /reemanC Ideas on Liberty, httpC##www.fee.or #-)BLIC%(I5D$#('83/R88+%D#article.aspL aidM?HHG, December" The free"om of the capitalist system liberates creati)e human brainpower from bon"a!e to the state. The ensuin! a")ances in science0 me"icine0 a!riculture0 technolo!y0 an" in"ustry !enerate )ast increases in li)in! stan"ar"s an" life e$pectancies . It is not surprisin that durin the capitalist epoch, rou hly 12G< to the present, the free countries of western 8urope and Dorth %merica saw their total economic output increase ;< times, and per capita income row to be 1H times what it had been previously. : 8ven minimal capitalist elements have already produced salutary results in communist Nietnam. (he annual minimum wa e there is O1H:@ but Dike, which owns Nietnamese factoriesPmisleadin ly dubbed EsweatshopsF by anti3capitalist ideolo uesP pays an avera e salary of O;=<, which is double the country*s per capita BD-. ? 4estern companies in the poorest countries pay their wor'ers0 on a)era!e0 twice what the correspon"in! nati)e firms pay. &ost important0 wor'ers )oluntarily see' such employment0 an" unli'e the repressi)e !o)ernments0 these pri)ate companies ha)e no le!al ri!ht to initiate force a!ainst them. Capitalism is free"om?an" free"om lea"s to prosperity. (he moral is the practical. 5n the other hand, statism is oppressionPand oppression leads to destitution. (he immoral is the impractical. After two centuries of capitalism0 32 years of socialism0 an" a millennium of feu"alism0 the contest is o)er an" the scores are on the boar". The alternati)es open to human bein!s are star'8 free"om an" prosperity or statism an" misery. 4e ha)e only to ma'e our choice.

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Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" #n)ironment ,---.

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,---. Capitalism is 'ey to en)ironmental preser)ation .enny Taylor0 senior fellow C%(5 institute, 1229 !'appy 8arth DayL (hank Capitalism, httpC##www.cato.or #pubQdisplay.phpLpubQidMH<=H" (his is unfortunate because itAs businessmen :: not bureaucrats or en)ironmental acti)ists :: who "eser)e most of the cre"it for the en)ironmental !ains o)er the past century an" who represent the best hope for a Greener tomorrow . Indeed, we woul"n@t e)en ha)e en)ironmentalists in our mi"st were it not for capitalism. #n)ironmental amenities , after all, are lu$ury !oo"s. America 33 like much of the (hird World today 33 ha" no en)ironmental mo)ement to spea' of until li)in! stan"ar"s rose sufficiently so that we coul" turn our attention from simply pro)i"in! for foo"0 shelter0 an" a reasonable e"ucation to hi!her 5quality of life5 issues. (he richer you are, the more likely you are to be an environmentalist. %nd people wouldnAt be rich without capitalism. 4ealth not only bree"s en)ironmentalists0 it be!ets en)ironmental quality. (here are do6ens of studies showin that, as per capita income initially rises from subsistence levels, air and water pollution increases correspondin ly. But once per capita income hits between OH,?<< and O1?,<<< !dependent upon the pollutant", the ambient concentration of pollutants be ins to decline >ust as rapidly as it had previously increased. (his relationship is found for virtually every si nificant pollutant in every sin le re ion of the planet. It is an iron law. Biven that wealthier societies use more resources than poorer societies, such findin s are indeed counterintuitive. But the data donAt lie. 'ow do we e&plain thisL (he obvious answer 33 that wealthier societies are willin! to tra"e:off the economic costs of !o)ernment re!ulation for en)ironmental impro)ements an" that poorer society are not :: is only partially correct. In the United *tates, pollution "eclines !enerally pre"ate" the passa!e of laws man"atin! pollution controls.

Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" #n)ironment ,---.

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,---. Capitalism impro)es the en)ironment8 A ways .oseph ast, president, 'eartland Institute, 7BBA !8C53$%DI(0, p. 14H" It is time to up"ate our attitu"es towar" capitalism0 an" particularly our un"erstan"in! of how it puts Ca proper price on en)ironmental resources.< Capitalism is base" on a system of mar'ets an" pri)ate property ri!hts. When ri hts are correctly defined and enforced 0 capitalism will protect the en)ironment for four reasons8 It creates incenti)es to "o the ri!ht thin!sD It !enerates an" "istributes nee"e" informationD It enables people to tra"e thin!s or ri!hts in or"er to sol)e problems that otherwise can+t be sol)e"D an" It enables property ri!hts to e)ol)e o)er time. The free:enterprise system creates wealth0 rewar"s efficiency0 an" protects the en)ironment better than any other system yet "e)ise" by man. ,---. Capitalism is !oo" for the en)ironment .oseph ast, president, 'eartland Institute, 7BBA !8C53$%DI(0, p. 14H" 4ithout pri)ate ownership0 it is "ifficult to protect wil"life0 forests0 or other en)ironmental resources0 because no one "irectly benefits when the resource is conser)e" or suffers a loss if the resource is mismana!e". 4hen natural resources are owne" collecti)ely Eor Cby the !o)ernment<;0 each of us may use or mana!e the resource )ery ne!li!ently0 because we aren+t affecte" much by our careless beha)ior. %s a result0 public ownership often lea)es the en)ironment "epen"ent on people+s charity of C!oo" instincts .F (hese ,ualities are admirable, to be sure. But as the passen er pi eon, buffalo, and %frican elephant show 0 we can+t rely on a"mirable qualities alone to protect rare or en"an!ere" animals.

Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" Inequality ,---.

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,---. Capitalism helps to "ecrease !lobal inequality ill Gates0 foun"er of &icrosoft0 1223 !Writin for (ime +a a6ine. =#H1#<2 7+akin Capitalism +ore Creative7, httpC##www.time.com#time#ma a6ine#article#<,41=1,12G2:1=,<<.html" It mi!ht seem stran!e to tal' about creative capitalism when weAre payin more than O: for a allon of as and people are havin trouble payin their mort a es. There@s no "oubt that to"ay@s economic troubles are real@ people feel them deeply, and they "eser)e imme"iate attention. Creative capitalism isnAt an answer to the relatively short3term ups and downs of the economic cycle. ItAs a response to the lon er3term fact that too many people are missin out on a historic, century3lon improvement in the ,uality of life. In many nations0 life e$pectancy has !rown "ramatically in the past 722 years. &ore people )ote in elections0 e$press their )iews an" en/oy economic free"om than e)er before. #)en with all the problems we face to"ay0 we are at a hi!h point of human well:bein . (he world is ettin a lot better . (he problem is, it@s not !ettin! better fast enou!h0 an" it@s not !ettin! better for e)eryone . 5ne billion people live on less than a dollar a day. (hey donAt have enou h nutritious food, clean water or electricity. (he ama6in innovations that have made many lives so much better P like vaccines and microchips P have lar ely passed them by. This is where !o)ernments an" nonprofits come in. %s I see it, there are two reat forces of human natureC self3interest and carin for others. Capitalism harnesses self:interest in a helpful an" sustainable way but only on behalf of those who can pay. Go)ernment ai" an" philanthropy channel our carin! for those who can@t pay. %nd the world will make lastin pro ress on the bi ine,uities that remain P problems like %ID$, poverty and education P only if !o)ernments an" nonprofits "o their part by !i)in! more ai" an" more effecti)e ai". ut the impro)ements will happen faster an" last lon!er if we can channel mar'et forces0 includin innovation thatAs tailored to the needs of the poorest, to complement what overnments and nonprofits do. We need a system that draws in innovators and businesses in a far better way than we do today.

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Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" Democracy ,---.

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,---. Capitalism is key to democracy Rhoda 8. %owar":%assmann, -rof of -olitical $cience at Wilfrid Laurier )niversity, 122F !E(he $econd Breat (ransformationC 'uman Ri hts Leapfro in in the 8ra of Blobali6ation,F 'uman Ri hts Ruarterly, G<<?, p. G:3?" 5ne piece of ood news, however, is that almost all countries of the worl" now accept capitalism. Rueschmeyer, $tephens, and $tephens have shown the connection between capitalism and democracyC capitalism is a necessary, thou h not sufficient, prere*uisite for "emocracy. +oth *uantitative an" *ualitative stu"ies fin"ing a correlation between capitalism an" "emocracy also show that an intervening variable is necessary to effect such a correlation. That intervening variable is class action an" organi,ation. In a review of many stu"ies of the relationship between economic "evelopment an" human rights, Landman also fin"s that 7economic development Susually capitalistT does not enhance directly political or civil ri hts,7 but that -social mobili,ation has a "irect relationship with the e.pansion an" contraction of political an" civil rights.- Rueschemeyer, $tephens, and $tephensA analysis confirms $enAs assertion that development depends on human a encyC the 7achievement of development is thorou hly dependent on the free a ency of people.7 -articipatory freedoms are particularly important, says $en. 7-olitical freedoms !in the form of free speech and elections" help to promote economic security. $ocial opportunities !in the form of education and health facilities" facilitate economic participation. 8conomic facilities !in the form of opportunities for participation in trade and production" can help to enerate personal abundance as well as public resources for social facilities. /reedoms of different kinds can stren then one another.7=H But the class action an" human agency to which Rueschemeyer, $tephens and $tephens refer is not purely voluntaristC it arises only if the structural con"itions are appropriate. /emocracy, Rueschemeyer, $tephens, and $tephens assert is above all Eabovealla matter of power-0 it is necessary for the subor"inate" classes to wrest "emocracy from the powerful.

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Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" (o)erty ,---.

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,---. (o)erty G inequity are the result of limitin! capitalism@s reach +ichael os'in0 -rofessor of 8conomics at $tanford )niversity, 7BBB !Boskin, C%-I(%LI$+ %DD I($ DI$C5D(8D($, 1444, p. HG" (o be sure, lar!e se!ments of man'in" were left behin"0 both economically an" politically. As a !ross historical !eneraliHation0 they were in societies that lac'e" both economic an" political free"oms an" competition. Althou!h the capitalist economies ha)e wi"e "ispersions in the "istribution of consumption0 the a)era!e poor family in the Unite" *tates has a stan"ar" of li)in! well beyon" that of the a)era!e Russian family , for e&ample, and above that of the avera e %merican family of a couple of enerations a o. %nd the most entrenche" po)erty in the American economy occurs in poc'ets of a quasi:socialist economy0 with little competition0 pri)ate capital0 or pri)ate incenti)es0 such as inner:city public housin! an" schools.

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Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" 4ar ,---.

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,---. Capitalism is 'ey to maintainin! worl" peace Dou an"ow0 senior fellow at the Cato Institute, 122F !E$preadin Capitalism is ood for peaceF, Iorean 'erald, Dovember 1<" In a world that seems constantly aflame, one naturally asksC 4hat causes peaceL +any people, includin ).$. -resident Beor e W. Bush, hope that spreadin democracy will discoura e war. But new research su ests that e&pandin free mar'ets is a far more important factor, leadin to what Columbia )niversityAs 8rik Bart6ke calls a 7capitalist peace.7 ItAs a reason for even the left to support free markets. (he capitalist peace theory isnAt newC +ontes,uieu and %dam $mith believed in it. +any of BritainAs classical liberals, such as Richard Cobden, pushed free markets while opposin imperialism. But World War I demonstrated that increased trade was not enou h. (he prospect of economic ruin did not prevent rampant nationalism, ethnic hatred, and security fears from trumpin the power of markets. %n even reater conflict followed a eneration later. (hankfully, World War II left war essentially unthinkable amon leadin industriali6ed 3 and democratic 3 states. $upport rew for the ar ument, oin back to Immanual Iant, that republics are less warli'e than other systems. (odayAs corollary is that creatin democracies out of dictatorships will reduce conflict. (his contention animated some support outside as well as inside the )nited $tates for the invasion of Ira,. But Bart6ke ar ues that 7the Ademocratic peaceA is a mira e created by the overlap between economic and political freedom.7 (hat is, democracies typically have freer economies than do authoritarian states. (hus, while 7democracy is desirable for many reasons,7 he notes in a chapter in the latest volume of 8conomic /reedom in the World, created by the /raser Institute, 7representative overnments are unlikely to contribute directly to international peace.7 Capitalism is by far the more important factor. The shift from statist mercantilism to hi!h:tech capitalism has transforme" the economics behin" war. &ar'ets !enerate economic opportunities that ma'e war less "esirable. Territorial a!!ran"iHement no lon!er pro)i"es the best path to riches. =ree:flowin! capital mar'ets an" other aspects of !lobaliHation simultaneously "raw nations to!ether an" raise the economic price of military conflict. &oreo)er0 sanctions0 which interfere with economic prosperity0 pro)i"es a coerci)e step short of war to achie)e forei!n policy en"s. (ositi)e economic tren"s are not enou!h to pre)ent war0 but then0 neither is "emocracy. It lon! has been ob)ious that "emocracies are willin! to fi!ht0 /ust usually not each other .

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Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" 4ar ,---.

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,---. Global sprea" of "emocracy an" capitalism best way to promote peace an" security Wyatt Ro!ers0 -resident III $i ma Company, 1222 !(hird +illennium Capitalism, p. GG3H" Capitalism has flourishe" un"er "emocracy lar!ely because the free"oms nee"e" for its success ha)e been preser)e" for the most part0 notwithstan"in! the historic stru!!les associate" with sla)ery an" )arious forms of ethnic "iscrimination. In the (hird +illennium, capitalism in the )nited $tates is e&pected to continue to serve as the foundation for economic pro ress. (he e&tent to which capitalism can be nurtured in the developin nations is an open ,uestion. %merican businesses can no doubt be instrumental in encoura in capitalism in forei n nations throu h trade relations and cooperative business ventures. /orei n policies of the U* !o)ernment in recent years have enerally encoura ed %merican business to establish such mutually beneficial links. In effect, the nation has sou!ht to e$port capitalism as well as "emocracy0 since the two are belie)e" to be the best combination of political an" economic systems for promotin! worl" peace an" "omestic national security.

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Capitalism Critique Answers Compliments of BDL Capitalism Goo" Collapse 6ot Ine)itable ,---. Capitalism is self:correctin! an" sustainable Indur Go#lany! /ellow at the -olitical 8conomy Research Center, 200' !Dow /or the Bood Dews, httpC##www.reason.com#news#show#114G?G.html"

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8nvironmentalists and !lobaliHation foes are unite" in their fear that reater population an" consumption of ener y, materials, and chemicals accompanyin! economic !rowth, technolo ical chan e an" free tra"ePthe mainstays of lobali6ationP"e!ra"e human an" en)ironmental well:bein!. Indeed, the 12th century saw the Unite" *tates+ population multiply by four, income by seven, carbon dio&ide emissions by nine, use of materials by G=, and use of chemicals by more than 1<<. 0et life e$pectancy increase" from := years to == years. Inset of ma/or disease such as cancer, heart, and respiratory disease has been postpone" between ei ht and eleven years in the past century. 'eart disease and cancer rates have been in rapid decline over the last two decades, and total cancer deaths have actually declined the last two years, despite increases in population. %mon the very youn , infant mortality has declined from 1<< deaths per 1,<<< births in 141H to >ust seven per 1,<<< today. These impro)ements ha)en+t been restricte" to the Unite" *tates. It*s a lobal phenomenon. 4orl"wi"e0 life e$pectancy has more than "ouble", from H1 years in 14<< to ;= years today. India*s and China*s infant mortalities e&ceeded 14< per 1,<<< births in the early 14?<s@ today they are ;G and G;, respectively. In the developin world, the proportion of the population sufferin from chronic hun er declined from H= percent to 1= percent between 14=< and G<<1 despite a 2H percent increase in population. Blobally avera e annual incomes in real dollars have tripled since 14?<. Conse,uently, the proportion of the planetAs developin 3world population livin in absolute po)erty has hal)e" since 1421, from :< percent to G< percent. Chil" labor in low income countries "ecline" from H< percent to 12 percent between 14;< and G<<H. 8,ually important, the worl" is more literate an" better e"ucate" than ever. -eople are freer politically, economically, and socially to pursue their well3bein as they see fit. &ore people choose their own rulers0 an" ha)e free"om of e$pression. They are more li'ely to li)e un"er rule of law , and less likely to be arbitrarily deprived of life, limb, and property. $ocial and professional mobility have also never been reater. It+s easier than e)er for people across the worl" to transcend the bonds of caste0 place0 !en"er0 an" other acci"ents of birth . -eople today work fewer hours and have more money and better health to en>oy their leisure time than their ancestors. +an*s environmental record is more comple&. The early sta!es of "e)elopment can in"ee" cause some en)ironmental "eterioration as societies pursue first3order problems affectin human well3 bein . (hese include hun er, malnutrition, illiteracy, and lack of education, basic public health services, safe water, sanitation, mobility, and ready sources of ener y. Because !reater wealth alle)iates these problems while providin basic creature comforts, individuals and societies initially focus on economic development, often ne lectin other aspects of environmental ,uality. In time, however, they reco ni6e that environmental deterioration reduces their ,uality of life. %ccordin ly, they put more of their recently acquire" wealth an" human capital into "e)elopin! an" implementin! cleaner technolo!ies .

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