Term Paper Assignment

Spring 2010

Instructions:

Part 1. Due Sunday, April 11th, Midnight.

• Read Nathan Rosenberg and L.E. Birdzell, How the West Grew Rich, The Economic Transformation of the Industrial World and Milton Friedman, Free to Choose, a Personal Statement .

• 

• Write a 5-10 page essay on the following:

  The United States and Western Europe are rich. Americans have a lot of income and live long lives compared to less fortunate areas of the world. People in other parts of the world are poorer, consume less, and live fewer years.

  The interesting question is why.

  Some people argue that it is cultural and religous superiority, i.e. Christianity and the American/Western way of life are superior at creating a better standard of living.

  Others that the U.S./Western Europe are just lucky to be endowed with natural resources, land, and a large population.

  And, finally, some argue that the U.S./Wesern Europe got rich and stay rich by exploiting the poorer, less powerful, less fortunate areas of the world.

  Would Milton Friedman and/or Nathan Rosenberg and L.E. Birdzell agree with these explanations?

  Discuss.

  Grade	Papers (each number represents a paper and the score the paper received) Click on the numbers to download and read papers.
  A	90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 93 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 98
  B	80 80 80 80 80 80 80 85 85 85 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88
  C	70, 70, 70, 70, 70, 75, 75, 75 , 75, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78 , 78
  D	60, 60
  F

Part 2 -Due Sunday May 2nd, Midnight.

• Read Robert Higgs, Crisis and Leviathan
• Read about the Stimulus Package passed by the Democrats and President Obama last year on this NY Times website.
• Read about the Tea Party movement on the this NY Times website.

Write a 5-10 page essay on the following:

Does the Stimulus package fit into Higg's framework and explanation about how the size and scope of government grows?

Suppose Robert Higgs, Milton Friedman, Nathan Rosenberg and L.E. Birdzell were to have a roundtable discussion of the Stimulus Package. What would each person have to say about it?

What would they say about the Tea Party Movement. Would they look on it favorably or unfavorably. Explain.

Do you agree with the opinions of Higgs, Friedman, Rosenberg, and Birdzell? Explain.

Grade	Papers (each number represents a paper and the score the paper received) Click on the numbers to download and read papers.
A	90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 92 92 92 93 93 93 95 95 95 95 95 96 97 98 98
B	80 80 80 80 80 82 82 82 82 82 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88
C	70 70 75 75 75 75 75 75 76 78 78 78 78 70
D	65 65
F

 

 

 

Schedule of Penaties:

1. Late Paper: 5% for up to 3 hours late. 10% for up to 24 hours late. 50% for 1 to 3 days late.
2. Failure to transmit paper in the proper format: 10%