Discussion: Are Political and Economic Freedom Inexorably Linked
Discussion: Are Political and Economic Freedom Inexorably Linked?
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The 2019 gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States was 21.43 trillion dollars (Plecher, 2021). If the State of California were an independent nation, its 2019 GDP of 2.79 trillion dollars would make it the fifth largest national economy in the world (Statista Research Department, 2021). From a macro perspective, the current constitutional arrangement has been a success. On the other hand, as economists are fond of saying, the level of economic disparity in the United States is the highest among the G7 nations* and those at the lower ends of the economic scale may not find the current arrangement to be a success at all.
This Week’s Discussion asks you to think about the current state of the United States economy through the lens of Milton Friedman.
*The Group of 7 (G7) nations include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States
References
Plecher, H. (2021). Gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States at current prices from 1985 to 2025. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/263591/gross-domestic-product-gdp-of-the-united-states/
Statista Research Department. (2021). Real gross domestic product (GDP) of the federal state of California from 2000 to 2019. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/187834/gdp-of-the-us-federal-state-of-california-since-1997/
Note: You will have the option to record your Discussion post if you choose to. If you choose to record and upload your recording, please be mindful of the time you will need to review the Kaltura media player instructions below and create your video.
To Prepare:
Refer to the Intellectual Traditions Timeline, from the Learning Resources, to aid you in your understanding of the contributions of the defenders and critics of the status quo.
Review the Friedman chapters from this week’s Learning Resources.
Consider if you agree or disagree with Friedman’s argument that political and economic freedom are inexorably linked, and why.
If you choose to use Kaltura media player to record your post for this Discussion, please access the Kaltura Media Uploader link in the left-hand navigation of the Blackboard classroom and follow directions to create your video/audio for this Discussion.
By Day 3
Post an explanation in which you state your stance on Friedman’s argument, and offer evidence to support your claims. Your evidence can come from Friedman, other scholarly sources, and/or your personal experiences.
Answer preview to Discussion: Are Political and Economic Freedom Inexorably Linked
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