Equality Efficiency Arthur Okun argues that a clear line must be drawn between dollars and rights. At the heart of his argument is that there is an inherent conflict between the two in a capitalist democracy, and politicians can only resolve this conflict through "The Big Tradeoff." With respect to rights, Okun notes that they are fundamentally different from dollars in that they are inalienable and equally distributed, and that as

However, when these same advocates were faced with the possibility of losing their political power by living in accordance with their own arguments, they admitted that they understood the people they had under their absolute control were men and not animals. Such an admission was tantamount to declaring that they didn't really believe in equality, but instead wanted to protect their own liberty to live their preferred way of

The main advantage of the convention is that they provide an opportunity for candidates to define themselves in a positive way and for the party to heal itself after a decisive nomination battle. 2. The electoral college is the means by which presidents are actually elected. To win a state's electoral votes, a candidate must have a plurality of votes in that state. Except in two states, the winner takes all. 3.

Merit and Equality The immediate challenge of society revolves around the construction of a society that is fair and just. The exact principles that allow society to do that is particularly difficult to define and initiate within the context of the existing framework of society. Two concepts that appear to be diametrical opposites are equality and merit. Individuals who invite society to be structured on merit suggest that the inherent inequalities

The American and French Revolutions occurred within decades of each other, influenced by similar changes taking place in European society. Concepts of freedom and liberty therefore evolved concurrently within these two societies, in part due to the vibrant interchange of ideas and philosophies. French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville epitomized the bilateral ideological communications that flowed between France and the United States. In a general sense, French and American concepts of

John Locke's understanding of freedom and equality is the essential basis of any happy and prosperous society." How would the following individuals react to this quote: Rousseau, King Louis the Fourteenth, and Napoleon Rousseau Rousseau is most famous for saying that "Man was/is born free; and everywhere he is in chains." (Social Contract, Vol. IV, p. 131 in Ashcraft, 22). We are born good but are essentially not free since we