The Rise Of A Mercantilist Economic System History Essay

The Rise Of A Mercantilist Economic System History Essay The rise of a mercantilist economic system in Europe forged a unified relationship between government and its people by superseding feudalism and developing a merchant class that bridged the gap between the peasant and ruling classes. Britain, France and Spain, in particular, reaped the rewards of mercantilism by forming a powerful array of nation states. Although mercantilism stands in stark contrast with the principles of a free-market economy, it was nonetheless the driving force behind European imperialism from the 15th through the 18th centuries. The emergence of a merchant class developed a link between power and wealth. Mercantilism in Europe helped to centralize power, replacing the feudal arrangement of yesteryear. As critics like Adam Smith would point out, mercantilism was not without its drawbacks. The only two countries that corralled enough wealth to be considered hegemonic, the United States and Britain, did so in the nineteenth century, well after the fall of mercanti lism. Smith opined that economies should be self-regulating, and that mercantilism, through its rigid governmental constraints, prevented economies from truly flourishing. Despite an abundance of critics, the mercantilist economic system undoubtedly had a tremendous impact on Europe and the rest of the globe. Mercantilism was the foundation from which capitalism was born. European mercantilism first emerged in the latter part of the Renaissance in about 1595 and didnt fade away until the late 1800s. Queen Elizabeth I, desperate to quell the powerful Spanish Empire, ordered her Admiralty to reform foreign trade. Her reforms proved highly effective as England would go on to become the most powerful imperial empire in world history. England exploited the mercantilist economic system of importing precious metals and raw materials in exchange for manufactured goods. The French would later mimic Englands economic system. Mercantilist countries used the rule of law to attain a positive balance of trade through their colonies. Stiff tariffs were imposed on imports and colonies were restrained in their ability to manufacture goods. Instead they were forced to purchase products from their mother countries. For example, gold and silver were extracted from the colonies and shipped to European merchants, greatly enriching Europe. The power of the state depended on the amount of gold and silver in its coffers, because this international currency made it possible to build ships and pay for armies. (A Concise History of Economic Thought,Vaggi Groenwerth, 2003). Beginning in the 16th century, control over land, and trade routes became the most important part of collecting wealth for the most powerful countries. The growth of the mercantile system of Europe was largely spurred by the general discontent people had with the Roman Catholic Church. Mercantilism was, to a large extent, spawned by the Reformation. The lifestyle regulations imposed on Catholics allowed for very little self-actualization; a source of great embitterment for the masses who were fed up with the feudal system. Mercantilism brought upon the rise of the merchant class, a transfer of wealth that brought with it a sense of hope for much of Europe. The spread of alternatives to hard-line Catholicism like the Anglican Church coincided with the growth of mercantilism. In the 1600s England began to notice the Spanish becoming a rising power, due in large part to their influence in colonial America. England knew that whoever maintained the strongest blend of colonial influence and military strength would control the all- important trade routes and foreign territories. England, in an effort to squelch rising countries, began to strengthen their control over colonies, demanding that all trade go through them. The growing sense of competition between world-powers fueled the spread of mercantilism. The major players in this face-off were England, France, Holland and Spain. England reigned supreme as the victorious imperial power thanks to dominant military wins over Portugal and Spain in the sixteenth century, then Holland in the seventeenth and France in the eighteenth century. One of the major objectives of mercantilist countries was to create a bond between the powerful aristocracies and the rising merchant classes. The purpose of this alliance was to damage the economies of competing nations. Mercantilist theory suggested that government should enact a wealth-collecting agenda by protecting against foreign imports. Prior to the rise of mercantilism, the military was only formed during specific times of conflict. During the era of mercantilism, however, armies and navies became full-time enterprises as conflict had become a way of life. Gold and silver were the means by which goods and services could be obtained, and funding a strong military was an essential part of the equation. The merchants were willing to finance their governments in exchange for protection against foreign competition. Large central government and mercantilism go hand-in hand: the merchants needed the government and vice-versa. Mercantilist theorists believe that the net total of global wealth was already established, and that countries vied for a greater stake in the pie by exchanging manufactured goods for precious metals. The concept of, buy low, sell high was paramount towards collecting national wealth. The acquisition of non-coined gold and silver, or bullion, was considered the benchmark for economic growth. The growing wealth of European countries, namely England, France and Spain, had a trickle-down effect on their economies. Merchants would become wealthier through mercantilism, and, to a lesser extent, the lives of the labor forces improved thanks to better job security. The transfer of bullion funneled from the colonies of the Americas proved to be a major boon for European mercantilism. Mercantilist writers believed all trade to be a zero sum game, for every transaction there is a winner and a loser, mercantilists sought to handicap the game in order to promote economic success nation-wide. Mercantilism was a Machiavellian, Puritanically dark world view that promoted a general feeling of intense nationalism and ill-will toward competing countries and the colonies they governed. Governments would go as far as to damage entire monetary systems and limit civilian wages in order to reduce imports, and hurt other countries economies. When mercantilist countries did import goods, it was preferred that they deal in raw materials that could be processed and sent abroad in order to acquire more capital. Importing low cost, raw materials to be completed and converted into higher cost, manufactured goods and bartered for precious metals was a lucrative proces s for merchants. Extractive industries, like agriculture, gave way to manufacturing or processing material businesses. Precious metals had the strongest purchasing power for commanding goods and services. During the sixteenth century, the flows of precious metals from the American Colonies of Spain produced high inflation in Europe, but for the mercantilists gold and silver were the substance and the definition of both private and national wealth.(Vaggi Groenwegen, A Concise History of Economic Thought, 2003) As competition in the New World intensified, England began to tighten the screws on her colonies. Mercantilists were acutely aware of the linkage between politics and economics; they believed that power and wealth were closely related, and that both were legitimate goals of national policy. (Theodore Cohn, Global Political Economy, 2005) Although many countries became rich because of the wealth transferred from the New World, not every country capitalized as much as it could h ave. Between 1647 and 1715, the French attempted to mimic the British, but thanks to extreme inefficiency, they fell short. Jean Babtiste Colbert was one of the most well- known proponents of mercantilism. Colbert served as finance minister of France, under King Louis XIV in the seventeenth century. The French used the British mercantilist economic system of as a model for their political economy. Colbert inherited a perilous French economy on the brink of bankruptcy and enabled King Louis to embark on a series of aggressive military campaigns. The term colbertisme was coined by Colbert to describe the method of protecting infant industries. During his 18 years as minister of finance, Colbert issued a total of 150 edicts designed to regulate the guild industry. Colberts successful use of mercantilism was essential in financing the reign of Louis XIV. The Sun Kings reign featured a powerful military force, but the French economy, particularly its agriculture, was over-taxed and stagnant. Thomas Mun was one of the leading mercantilist authors during this time. His most influential works were a pair of pamphlets A Discourse of Trade and, later, Englands Treasure by Foreign Trade. Mun was the director of the East India Company, a monopolistic British charter founded in 1600 that supplied a wide array of goods, ranging from cotton to opium. According to Mun, monetary movements and the exchange rate depend on the condition of the trade balance: the inflows of precious metals reflect the existence of a positive balance of trade and vice versa. (Vaggi Groenwegen, A Concise History of Economic Thought, 2003) Government-imposed monopolies were inherently corrupted; the use of black market dealings were an inevitable byproduct of price ceilings and quotas. As noted above, colonial powers competed vehemently for control over the North American territories they ruled over. Englands greed would cause tensions to boil over, eventually spurring the American Revolution. The initial Navigation Act of 1651, a bill enacted by the Oliver Cromwell-led Parliament, was designed to gain control over foreign exchanges between the English colonies and other countries. Under the bill, all trade flowing in and out of England or her colonies had to be shipped using British ships. The Dutch, who had been thriving thanks to their free-trade market, were crushed and sent to economic ruin thanks to Cromwells protectionist policies. Not only did the Navigations Acts seize control of transnational commerce, it also disabled competing countries from profiting from freight and shipping services. The mercantilists discovered that it was the whole current account balance that mattered, not just the exchange of commodities. (Vaggi Groenwegen, A Concise History of Economic Thought, 2003) British colonial mercantilism was oppressive by nature; American colonies were banned from the global economy and were treated as little more than pawns. The prosperity of mercantilist economies was contingent on the aid of a strong centralized government that regulated foreign and domestic trade. Mercantilist economies became immensely wealthy by coercing a positive trade surplus. It was thought that a country could be strengthened by regulating commercialism by discouraging imports, and maintaining a positive flow of exports. Governments began placing tariffs, quotas and even prohibitions on imports in order to protect domestic business. New businesses would be encouraged with generous tax breaks. As for the trade part of the balance of payments, the government must favour the sale of raw materials abroad because they will be purchased with precious metals, hence adding to the stock of national wealth (Vaggi Groenwegen, A Concise History of Economic Thought, 2003) Improved tools and technologically advanced products were not allowed to be exported to foreign markets in order to maintain superiority over competing states. The same was true of talented workers, who were prohibited from emigrating to other countries, just as foreign diplomats hypocritically recruited other businessmen to come to their home countries. One of the sharpest critics of European mercantilism was economist Charles Davenant, who believed England would become more prosperous if government discontinued their policy of intervening in foreign trade. In 1690, Davenant published An Essay on the East-India Trade, which outlined his belied that a liberal foreign trade policy would increase Englands exports thanks to a larger market. According to Davenant, this increase in the stock of money leads to lower interest rates and to higher prices of land. The increase in the value of landed estates brings about a rise of rent and of tax revenue. As a result of a freer trade every section of the population is better off, but the starting point of the whole story is still the successful export trade of England. (Vaggi Groenwegen, A Concise History of Economic Thought, 2003) Davenants theories, revolutionary for the time, caused vast condemnation in Europe, who believed the risks of an expanded market outweighed the rewards. Ultimately, no alternate system capable of challenging the nationalistic balance of trade theories of mercantilism emerged, and mercantilism continued. Mercantilism began to fade in the 18th century, ending not with a bang, but with a whimper. Adam Smith, a Scottish Oxford graduate, was a revolutionary economist in the mid to late 1700s who was responsible for coining the term mercantilism. One of Smiths major points of contention with mercantilism, as was outlined in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, was his distaste for heavy-handed governmental control of the economy. Smith, who despised mercantilism invented the metaphor, invisible hand which stood for a natural, self-regulation that functioned because of the essential tenets of a free-market economy: self-interest, competition, economic characteristics he believed were possible without governmental intervention. In 1776, Smith wrote in Wealth of Nations: It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages. His writings were the basis of laissez-faire capitalism, in which industry is free from the shackles of government. Smith believed in the natural order of the economy, whereby, rather than have the government fix prices and regulate trade, the economy should be a self-sufficient machine that dictates the price of commodities. When the price of any commodity is neither more nor less than what is sufficient to pay the rent of the land, the wages of the labour, and the profits of the stock employed in raising, preparing, and bringing it to market, according to their natural rate, the commodity is then sold for what may be called its natural price. (Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations, 1776) The brilliance of Smith was not in his ability to produce revolutionary economic theories of his own; his greatness was embodied in his ability to assemble existing concepts into a system. The fundamental problem with mercantilism is its refusal to account for the value of all economic activity. Maintaining a positive balance of trade is not the only indicator of economic health. To the contrary, as has been proven in the United States meteoric growth despite a negative balance of trade since the 1970s, a positive balance of trade means very little, and often leads to inflation. Mercantilism, though largely debased today, played an essential role in the rise of the middle class. Without the spread of mercantilism in Europe, its impossible to project how the world might look today. Its possible that, without mercantilism, we would still be living in a feudal, caste-like system comprised of only governmental elitists and a the peasant class, with very little in between. Mercantilism gave rise to the middle class, the largest group in the West. Open Side Bet Tracking Kevin Fox- NFL: Week 13 Game ($20, W),Vikings+3.5 over Sains W $15 Colts-7 over Ravens ($10, W) Paid? NBA: Blazers+4.5 over Magic ($10, W) Paid? MISC: James+Stephen 3-Point Shootout, over Elliot+Kevin ($5, W) Paid? Total: (+ $60) Paid? Joey Leoni- NFL: Men of Menlo Fantasy Football Money ($100, W) Paid? Total: (+100) Paid? Dominic Diricco NFL: Men of Menlo Fantasy Football Money ($50, W) Paid? Total: (+$50) Paid? Kevin Meehan- NFL: The Sunday Special Fantasy Football Money ($100, L) Total: (-100) Paid? Isaac Baron- MISC: (In Progress) Most Makes of 53s, Isaac must Win at least 8/10, I=3Wins, J=1 Win ($100, T) Total: ($100 Pending) Paid? SID: 112 15 810

The renaissance period and ideologies

The renaissance period was highly influenced by artists who promoted religious ideologies. The word Renaissance in itself is means ‘rebirth' or ‘reconstruction'. It refers specifically to the revitalization of the early renaissance in Italy in the fourteenth century, which eventually spread to England in the sixteenth and further north in the seventeenth. Christianity was the leading religion at that period of time, artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael were part of the high renaissance period that spread between 1475 to 1525, Michelangelo painted theSistine chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512, it was requested by pope Julius the second that Michelangelo would paint the ceiling of the chapel to help Rome rebuild its self to its former glory. One off the most famous sections of the Sistine chapel is the creation of Adam' it is thought to illustrate the narrative from the biblical book genesis in which god breaths life into Adam. This is an example of religiou s, and political ideologies, because the Pope Julius wanted the ceiling to promote Rome at that time and also to promote his own name, to make the rest of the world believe that he was superior to his rival Pope Alexander.It also promoted religious Ideologies by depicting one of the most Important scenes from Christianity; In painting this ceiling they were effectively advertising their own religious beliefs making others aware of their religion. During the renaissance period Musicians and artists were servants of the rich and would be employed by the church or a rich noble to glorify god, their religion or themselves. The church and the rich wanted these artists and musicians who earned their living through people like this to promote their Faith and to demonstrate how Important their religion was.This Is an example of how the church and the rich anted to use art to document or portray their Ideologies to the rest of society. Leonardo Dad Vine's Last Super This Is a late 15th centu ry mural by Dad Vulcan; the church commissioned him as part of their renovations to depict scenes from the bible. It depicts ‘The last super' one of the most Important and key scenes from Charlatanry. I believe that this Is a way that the church have used art to promote their religious beliefs, which Is In a way an Ideology of how they want everyone to believe the world came to existence. By philanthropy that he was superior to his rival Pope Alexander.It also promoted religious ideologies by depicting one of the most important scenes from Christianity; in painting this important their religion was. This is an example of how the church and the rich wanted to use art to document or portray their ideologies to the rest of society. This is a late 1 5th century mural by Dad Vinci; the church commissioned him as part the most important and key scenes from Christianity. I believe that this is a way that the church have used art to promote their religious beliefs, which is in a way a n ideology of how they want everyone to believe the world came to existence. The renaissance period and ideologies The renaissance period and ideologies The renaissance period was highly influenced by artists who promoted religious ideologies. The word Renaissance in itself is meaner ‘rebirth' or ‘reconstruction'. It refers specifically to the revitalization of the early renaissance in Italy in the fourteenth century, which eventually spread to England in the sixteenth and further north in the seventeenth. Christianity was the leading religion at that period of time, artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael were part of the high renaissance period that spread between 1475 to 1525, Michelangelo painted theSistine chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512, it was requested by pope Julius the second that Michelangelo would paint the ceiling of the chapel to help Rome rebuild its self to its former glory. One off the most famous sections of the Sistine chapel is the creation of Adam' it is thought to illustrate the narrative from the biblical book genesis in which god breaths life in to Adam. This is an example of religious, and political ideologies, because the Pope Julius wanted the ceiling to promote Rome at that time and also to promote his own name, to make the rest of the world believe hat he was superior to his rival Pope Alexander.It also promoted religious ideologies by depicting one of the most important scenes from Christianity; in painting this ceiling they were effectively advertising their own religious beliefs making others aware of their religion. During the renaissance period Musicians and artists were servants of the rich and would be employed by the church or a rich noble to glorify god, their religion or themselves. The church and the rich wanted these artists and musicians who earned their living through people like this to promote their Faith and to demonstrate how important their religion was.This is an example of how the church and the rich wanted to use art to document or portray their ideologies to the rest of society. Leonardo Ad Vine' s Last Super This is a late 15th century mural by Ad Vinci; the church commissioned him as part of their renovations to depict scenes from the bible. It depicts ‘The last super' one of the most important and key scenes from Christianity. I believe that this is a way that the church have used art to promote their religious beliefs, which is in a way an ideology of how they want everyone to believe the world came to existence. By philanthropy

Ethics on Walt Disney

According to an article from The New York Times, on May 9, 2012 The Walt Disney Company’s profits had grown up to 21% at Disney’s Cable TV gains and a surge in Resorts Business. Thanks to climbing ad sales and subscription fees at ESPN, another cable channel like ABCfamily has also helped the Walt Disney Company. Its quarterly profit 21% To $1. 14 billion dollars. The article started off by stating that Disney’s financial reported a Growth on retail sales report. In addition an operating income at Walt Disney Company Park and Resorts Surged 53% to $222 million dollars.A reason for this division growth was that they had high spenders. Which meant they wasted money on Disney’s products and not only that but there attendance increased on almost all there resorts worldwide. Just like in Tokyo an increase in spending up to 5%. This is ethical, because it shows that the resorts must be doing well that means people are going and spending their money even with thi s recession. Besides this there is an issue that Disney’s studios faced after filming the movie John Carter but they had a solution. After they had lost money from that movie they also had losses from media networks.Because As the result that they were working on their interactive media. Aside from their losses, Disney reported earnings per share of 58 cents for the quarter. Up to 18% from 49 cents a year earlier. Not only had that but Analyst expected Earnings per share of 56 cents. In the other hand there was revenue 6% to $9. 6 billion. This shows that it was am improvement for Walt Disney they do there accountings in an Ethical manner. Another good ethics of Walt Disney is there television portfolio, since they have a variety of studios.They manage different channels like sports and family channels that helps them set apart from there competition. ESPN is by the largest contributor to Disney’s overall probability. â€Å"Quite well positioned to remain the pre-emin ent sports brand,† said Disney Chairman Robert I. Iger. This statement shows that ESPN is doing a good job as it should and shows that not only that. But ESPN is still growing with their subscribers and fees. Lastly in the article, it states that since the release of the movie Marvel Inc. The movie has recorded the biggest opening. â€Å"It’s a great illustration of why we like Marvel Inc. o much. † Said Mr. Iger. In my opinion I think the Walt Disney Company is very successful. They have been around the business for quite a while. Not only that but they made products and films that are worth value. Great film from back in the days and still going on now. The Walt Disney Company hires employees and trains them to their best ability which not many companies do. They require safety and have their business standards set well. Just how their profits have increased. That’s shows their doing a well ethical job. They may not be perfect but they sure have accounti ng set well in their business.Because the fact that if they didn’t Walt Disney would be as well-known. Their resorts wouldn’t be considered one of the happiest places on earth. This Article states the ethical manner that Walt Disney has done yet they had issues but still they overcome them just like how ethical companies should. The Walt Disney Company hasn’t been affected in a huge drastic way that other companies have been affected. But yet I think that is example that an ethical company leads and that is Walt Disney. REFERENCE http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9C01EFD9133AF93AA35756C0A9649D8B63&ref=brooksbarnes

Capital Punishment A Long Time Essay - 1027 Words

Capital punishment has been around for quite a long time. It goes back to when Hammurabi had his laws classified; it was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The death penalty in America began when spies were gotten, put on trial and hung. In the past and still today individuals contend that, capital punishment is savage, strange discipline and ought to be unlawful. Yet numerous individuals contend that it is indeed legitimate and it is not merciless and bizarre. The death penalty is not coldblooded and unordinary; capital punishment is reasonable and there is confirmation that capital punishment hinders wrongdoing. A huge part of abolitionist s contention is that capital punishment is not accommodating. They pull in Amendment 8, †¦ nor savage and irregular disciplines incurred. What the victimized person went however was in reality pitiless and strange disciplines . The killers demise is not brutal. The individuals will request equity for what he or she has done (Bidinotto 19). Hanging and the hot seat are themes more sensible to contend; however now on account of deadly infusion the death penalty has gotten to be more sympathetic. Capital punishment is not uncouth, the agony and misery that the victimized person experienced is boorish. Abolitionists were exceptionally disturbed in 1996 when attacker and killer John Albert Taylor was executed by terminating squad; they said his demise was primitive (Feder 32). Charla King, the poor 11-year-old young lady heShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment Of The United States961 Words   |  4 Pages Capital Punishment in the United States For centuries, capital punishment has been used as a consequence of capital crime. Criminals who have committed such crimes are subject to facing the death penalty. Pickens shares, â€Å"Capital crimes are considered to be treason or terrorist attacks against the government, crimes against property when life is threatened, and crimes against a person that may include murder, assault, and robberyRead MoreThe Merits and Pitfalls of Capital Punishment Today1482 Words   |  6 Pages Capital punishment is an age-old practice. It has been used in civilizations for millennia, and will continue to be used for millennia to come. Whether used for the right or wrong reasons, capital punishment is unmistakable in its various forms. From hangings, to firing squads, to lethal injections, capital punishment and the associated proceeding have evolved over time. There have been many arguments against capital punishment, many of which still hold true. As capital punishment has evolved overRead M oreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty Essay1690 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Review Capital punishment is defined as â€Å"a form of sentencing where the convicted person is ordered to death by the court system (Dotson and Carter, 2012, p.1). Capital punishment also known as the death penalty is one of the most controversial issues in today’s society. Many supporters and opponents of the death penalty debate over whether it is constitutional, whether it is inhumane, and whether it deters crime. Some abolitionists view the death penalty as immoral because it violatesRead MoreDeath Penalty for Murders1634 Words   |  6 Pagessevere punishment in the United States. People who have performed heinous crimes can be sentenced to capital punishment in some states; however, this type of chastisement is rarely performed. Capital punishment has more negative aspects than it has positive. The states that have legalized the death penalty face the excessive costs associated with it, which can be damaging to their economies. In addition, there is always the chance of exe cuting an innocent person when carrying out capital punishmentRead MoreCapital Punishment : A Cruel And Violent Process1343 Words   |  6 PagesThesis: Capital punishment is a cruel and violent process that is extremely expensive to many taxpayers, discriminating against one s race and well being in justifying cases, and overall has a negative effect on society. I. High in cost A. Life in prison B. Cost of taxes C. Cost of programs II. Discrimination in cases A. Wealth B. Racism III. Violent in application A. Cruel and unusual B. Denial and rights IV. Counters of argument A. Statistics B. Deterrence C. Life Capital punishment is a cruelRead MoreThe Effects Of Capital Punishment On Society1516 Words   |  7 Pages Capital Punishment Tyra L. Ferguson SYP4514: Patterns of Violence in Society University of Central Florida Introduction Capital punishment was first noted in America in the early 1600’s (â€Å"Part I: History of†, 2014). Much like most of the laws in America, capital punishment was brought here and influenced by European settlers (â€Å"Part I: History of†, 2014). Many crimes that were punishable by death in its infancy in America ranged from stealing fruit to murder. Capital punishmentRead MoreThe United States Should Abolish The Death Penalty970 Words   |  4 Pagesshould not abolish this because those who commit a capital felony which is punishable by imprisonment or death, should serve a capital punishment which is the death penalty. Many believe that certain crimes such as rape and murder should punishable by the death penalty. Although many also see it as inhumane, many also view murder and rape as inhumane. One can view this as part of Hammburi’s Code law that states â€Å"An eye for an eye.† Capital punishment has ben around for thousands of years; beginni ngRead MoreIn Cold Blood: Death Penalty1413 Words   |  6 Pages Capital Punishment has been part of the criminal justice system since the earliest of times. The Babylonian Hammurabi Code(ca. 1700 B.C.) decreed death for crimes as minor as the fraudulent sale of beer(Flanders 3). Egyptians could be put to death for disclosing the location of sacred burial sites(Flanders 3). However, in recent times opponents have shown the death penalty to be racist, barbaric, and in violation with the United States Constitution as ...cruel and unusual punishment. In thisRead MoreCapital Punishment Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesCapital Punishment Capital punishment has been a cause for debate for many years, and people continue to disagree on the topic. A battle rages between Americans who are fighting for a safe and just world, and those who want to abolish the death penalty, weakening our already struggling legal system. Capital punishment may be a controversial subject, but it is one that must be addressed with todays violent society. The death penalty provides the necessary punishment and deterrent for criminalsRead MoreTaking a Look at Capital Punishment1003 Words   |  4 PagesCapital punishment is a topic highly debated upon. For years the court systems have been debating whether the criminals deserve this strict punishment or not. However, despite the verdict from the judge, people have still been divided on whether capital punishment does more harm than good. A major subject that comes up is if the government has a justifiable reason for killing convicted people. Some only look at the negative but there are ple nty of reasons why this is a positive action. Capital punishment