Topics with Tag: Politics

Capitalism vs. Democratic Socialism
As Winston Churchill said of democracy, we could say that capitalism is the worst economic system, except for all the others. A few prominent American politicians like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez identify themselves as Democratic Socialists, but what exactly is this system, and is it really better than capitalism?
Economic Systems
Economic systems organize how resources get allocated: who will be wealthy, who will be poor, and who gets to make important decisions about wealth distribution. They also indirectly influence our moral perception of wealth. Capitalism, socialism, communism, another? Which economic system is most conducive to producing the kind of society that we want to live in?
China's Social Credit System
The Chinese government has begun rolling out a set of reputation-tracking technologies called the Social Credit System. It uses high-tech surveillance, facial recognition and data mining to track the minute daily activities of citizens and business in order to score them on their behavior. Those who maintain high scores will receive privileges like travel upgrades, preferential access to schooling and jobs, and higher social status, while those with low scores will have reduced access or could even be blacklisted. What are the pros and cons of such reputation-tracking systems?
The Boundaries of Speech and Civility
Calm, rational, and fairminded consideration of all viewpoints is a core principle of critical thinking, but are there some ideas that are so dangerous that they should not be discussed with civility? Are there issues like gay rights or abortion rights where the discussion is over, and we need to move on? The boundaries of speech and civility are being questioned - where should they be drawn?
Culture, Patriotism and Nationalism
Name any nation, and you immediately imagine what makes it unique: the distinct food, dress, practices, art and architecture of the local people. We accept and adhere to our own traditions and values, while we appreciate or abhor the differences that we see contrasted in the ways of others. What are our values and how important are they? Do other cultures have equal or equivalent value? Should we accept immigration and cultural change or do more to preserve our own traditional values and practices?