It has been observed that capitalist economies, which are characterized by profit-seeking tendencies and rivalry, can have adverse effects on the environment in many ways: -Resource Depletion: Greed for development fuels abuse of natural resources such as cutting down of trees, mining and burning naRead more
It has been observed that capitalist economies, which are characterized by profit-seeking tendencies and rivalry, can have adverse effects on the environment in many ways:
-Resource Depletion: Greed for development fuels abuse of natural resources such as cutting down of trees, mining and burning natural gas.
-Pollution: Manufacturing processes, means of transport, societal activities all lead to varying degrees of pollution which include water, air and even land pollution.
-Climate Change: Greenhouse gases causing climate change are emitted during burning of fossil fuels for energy.
-Loss of Biodiversity: The loss of biodiversity and the destruction of ecosystems is being caused by deforestation, destruction of habitats and pollution.
-Waste Generation: Waste excess and land filling are a result of consumer culture and throw away items.
-Externalizing Costs: Generally, companies prefer to push such costs including pollution and depletion of resources to society rather than carrying them themselves.
On the one hand, capitalism is a great motivator for creating technologies and improving the economy. However, one also has to apply practice, legal restrictions and economic stimulation of a different nature to alleviate those very ecological impacts of capitalism and provide the existence of a developed society in the future.
See less
The August Coup of 1991 failed to topple President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union by hardline communists who sought to restore the control of the central government towards the USSR. The results of this event, however, turned out to be entirely different, as it even expedited the downfall ofRead more
The August Coup of 1991 failed to topple President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union by hardline communists who sought to restore the control of the central government towards the USSR. The results of this event, however, turned out to be entirely different, as it even expedited the downfall of the Union.
Even though the coup attempt was partly because of the deep cracks in the Soviet leadership, it was also an indication of the central authority’s decline. At the same time, it united the society against the hardliners, who were challenged by the likes of Boris Yeltsin, who was the President of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
In combination with earlier errors, This coup attempt was an egregious failure and dealt another blow to Gorbachev’s authority leading to even more rapid break up of the USSR. It encouraged the leadership of the various Soviet republics, such as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, who proclaimed independence immediately after the coup.
The disintegration of the USSR marked the end of the Cold War and created a lot of new opportunities in international politics. The August Coup was one of those moments within that process where it was already clear that the Soviet superpower where held by the forces of democracy was on an inevitable decline.
See less