Term
| Why is religion so strong in America? (3 points) |
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Definition
1) Religion is natural, humans fear death, religion provides hope for life after death, immortality in a sense.
2)Another reason religion is so strong in America is for the same reason that it has dissolved so much in Europe. Tocqueville mentions that in Europe, religion has been tainted and corrupted by politics. America has a separation of church and state, therefore religion can stay pure.
3)A final reason that religion is so strong in America is that America has such a wide variety of religions. As a commercial nation, everybody wants a religion that will cater to their specific needs. America can offer that by offering religious freedom, everyone can choose the religion that caters to their wants, making religion more desirable. |
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Term
| How or in what ways has religion been transformed? (3 points) |
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Definition
The major transforming factor of religion is liberal disestablishment.
1) There is a "feel good" emotion associated with religion, focus is on rewarding the righteous, religion is more comfortable, focus on personal relationship with God.
2)Less emphasis on hell and the bad afterlife.
3)religion and commerce reinforce each other, rewards come only after hard work, present pain for future gain. |
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Term
| Critically analyze this change by giving at least one reason why the transformation of religion in America may be good. (2 points) |
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Definition
| The religious transformation in America is good because 1)the focus on materialism gives us hope for future reward, taking away from fear of death. 2)transformation led to people being more moral to achieve heaven, as the focus was on the good afterlife. |
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Term
| At least one reason why the transformation of religion in America may not be good. (2 points) |
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Definition
The transformation of religion can be detrimental because as we are more materialistic, we are more inclined to have vices.
As more emphasis is placed on the good afterlife, people become more passive in fighting for their country or being patriotic in this life.
Religion could just be incompatible with democracy. |
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Term
| List four reasons why religion is either harmful or incompatible with democracy. Explain and elaborate (1) |
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Definition
| Irrational - you cannot see religion, it is beyond the senses. Democracy is based on science and reason, this makes them fundamentally incompatible. |
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Term
| List four reasons why religion is either harmful or incompatible with democracy. Explain and elaborate (2) |
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Definition
| Intolerant - Religion provides a motivation for persecution of the unrighteous, while democracy aims at peace. You don't want to be wrong, or be forces into wrong belief |
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Term
| List four reasons why religion is either harmful or incompatible with democracy. Explain and elaborate (3) |
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Definition
| Undemocratic - religion has a basis in hierarchies and higher authority, the ultimate authority being God. In a democracy, the majority is supposed to rule |
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Term
| List four reasons why religion is either harmful or incompatible with democracy. Explain and elaborate (4) |
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Definition
| Slavish - The idea is that freedom only comes at death, you are "enslaved" your whole life. Literal freedom is only possible with you fighting for it today, religion gives hope of eternal freedom and can make you passive. |
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Term
| Using Tocqueville, provide at least four reasons why religion is not harmful or incompatible in a democracy (4 points). |
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Definition
1)not irrational - Pascal's argument
2)not intolerant - Separation of church and state has largely solved this issue, also, religion can be intolerant, but it is not inherently intolerant
3)not undemocratic - if you take away the priest, everybody underneath his is essentially equal, it's fundamentally egalitarian
4)not slavish - religion in itself is a consequence of freedom, religion provides resources to navigate democracy and freedom |
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Term
| Why does Tocqueville think that religion is positively helpful in a democracy? (4 points) |
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Definition
| 1) religion provides a calm break and happiness from the busy, fast paced life. 2)Religion combats present materialism and individualism which fundamentally go against democracy. 3)Enlarges our spiritual souls, which makes us more moral people, this is helpful in a democracy because since it's a majority rule, it is important for all of the people to be moral. |
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Term
| Do you think religion is helpful or harmful in a democracy? Why/why not?(2 points) |
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Definition
| Religion is helpful in a democracy because it prepares you to make choices, as we have a lifetime to be free in America, we have the freedom of choice, if we have religion to help us make those choices, we will be better off. |
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Term
| What is materialism? (1 point) |
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Definition
| A tendency to consider material possessions as more important than spiritual values. |
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Term
| An example from the readings of materialism (1 point) |
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Definition
| In our readings, Veblen eludes to materialism when he brings up conspicuous consumption. He argues that conspicuous consumption is an endless cycle of spending money on stuff you don't need, which is the entire basis of materialism, putting such a heavy focus on material goods, not on saving your spiritual soul. |
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Term
| Why is materialism less likely to arise in a monarchy? (2 points) |
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Definition
1) lack of social mobility and lack of choice in occupation, no competition, no need for materialism, if you were materialistic it wouldn't help you improve your standing in life or your quality of life.
2)the aristocracy looked down on new money and extravagant spending, those with old money knew how to handle it, preventing the upper class from being materialistic and extravagant. |
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Term
| Why is materialism more likely to arise in a middle class society? |
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Definition
1)In a middle class society, there is social mobility, by acquiring more, one is able to move up in life, at least in a social aspect, because everybody wants to be successful, everybody is competing with each other, leading to materialism.
2)Even more importantly, there is equality, there is the opportunity for every person to gain, this intertwined with the passion for gain and moving up in the world allows materialism to be prevalent. |
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Term
| What are two possible dangers of materialism? (2 points) |
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Definition
1)According to Tocqueville, materialism can lead to a disinterest and unfocused relation to higher things like religion, spirituality, and friendship.
2)Steffens points out in his "Shame of the Cities" that materialism will bring you to focus on your personal property rather than the well being of the country
3)"people will spend money they don't have on crap they don't need." Materialism can cause people to go into debt. |
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Term
| What are two ways in which materialism can be combated? (2 points) |
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Definition
1) I believe Carnegie would suggest that materialism can be combated by the rich donating their money to philanthropy during their lifetime.
2)Tocqueville would suggest that materialism can be combated by focusing on religion, if we are focused on the spiritual aspect of life, we won't be caught up in the necessity of trying to get ahead in the present world, because we have the hope of reward in the after life. |
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Term
| Critique of Capitalism from: Steffens |
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Definition
| Steffens' critique of capitalism is that businessmen are focusing on profit rather than patriotism. He is attacking the character of capitalists. He believes they are only there to attain money, they don't care for the well being of others or the country as a whole, so long as they themselves are doing well. |
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Term
| Critique of Capitalism from: Veblen |
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Definition
| Veblen argues against conspicuous consumption. He says that capitalism leads to conspicuous consumption. All our lives we work to acquire large sums of money, only to spend it once we acquire enough. After we believe we have acquired enough, we begin spending, leading to an endless cycle of spending. This causes us to need to work longer and harder, and we don't achieve the happiness we sought after in the beginning. |
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Term
| Critique of Capitalism from: Beard |
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Definition
| Beard says that capitalism is built into the founding. He says that there is inequality built into the founding and that the capitalist system is unequal, as it has been from the beginning. He says capitalism is an institution set up to benefit the wealthy. |
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Term
| Critique of Capitalism from: Croly |
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Definition
| Croly compares capitalism to a marathon. He says that in a marathon, all of the runners may have the same start, but if they don't have the same nourishment or training, they won't be equal competitors. He relates this to democracy and capitalism saying that even if everybody is given equal rights and everything appears to be fair from the start, everyone will have varying mental readiness and capacity, this compares to the nourishment. In addition, everyone will have varying quality and degrees of education. The system in inherently unfair because of nature. |
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Term
| Critique of Capitalism from: Roosevelt |
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Definition
| Roosevelt's critique of capitalism comes from his three c's. Control of corporation, consumer protection, and conservation. He believes corporations have gotten too large leading consumers to suffer more than anyone else. He also argues that industry and factories have harmful effects on the environment, as he was a strong believer in conservation, he had more reasons than political to disapprove of capitalism. |
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Term
| Critique of Capitalism from: Wilson |
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Definition
| Wilson argues that capitalism leads to alienation. There is a disconnectedness from work. Wilson is concerned that workers will lose a sense of liberty and security. He especially emphasizes how economic liberty is being lost, as industrial workers have no voice in their companies. |
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