persuasive essay about capitalism

1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology

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Arguments for Capitalism and Socialism

Author: Thomas Metcalf Category: Social and Political Philosophy Wordcount: 993

Editor’s Note: This essay is the second in a two-part series authored by Tom on the topic of capitalism and socialism. The first essay, on defining capitalism and socialism, is available here .

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Suppose I had a magic wand that allowed one to produce 500 donuts per hour. I say to you, “Let’s make a deal. You use this wand to produce donuts, and then sell those donuts for $500 and give me the proceeds. I’ll give you $10 for every hour you spend doing this. I’ll spend that time playing video games.”

My activity—playing video games—seems pretty easy. Your job requires much more effort. And I might end up with a lot more money than $10 for every hour you work. How is that fair?

In the story, the magic wand is analogous to capital goods : assets (typically machinery and buildings, such as robots, sewing machines, computers, and factories) that make labor, or providing goods and services, more productive. Standard definitions of ‘capitalism’ and ‘socialism’ indicate that, in general, capitalist systems permit people to privately own and control capital goods, whereas socialist systems do not. And capitalist systems tend to contain widespread wage labor, absentee ownership, and property income; socialist systems generally don’t. [1]

Capital goods are morally interesting. As in the case of the magic wand, ownership of capital goods can allow one to make lots of money without working. In contrast, other people have to work for a living. This might be unfair or harmful. This essay surveys and explains the main arguments in this debate. [2]

1. Capitalism

Arguments for capitalism tend to hold that it’s beneficial to society for there to be incentives to produce, own, and use capital goods like the magic wand, or that it’s wrong to forcibly prevent people from doing so. Here are four arguments for capitalism, stated briefly:

(1) Competition: ‘When individuals compete with each other for profits, this benefits the consumer.’ [3]

Critique : Competition also may encourage selfish and predatory behavior. Competition can also occur in some socialist systems. [4]

(2) Freedom: ‘Preventing people from owning capital restricts their freedom. Seizing their income in the form of taxes may constitute theft.’ [5]

Critiques : Maybe owning property, itself, restricts freedom, by excluding others from using it. [6] If I announce that I own something, I may be thereby announcing that I will force you not to use it. And maybe “freedom” requires the ability to pursue one’s own goals, which in turn requires some amount of wealth. [7] Further, if people must choose between work and starvation, then their choice to work may not be really “free” anyway. [8] And the general distribution of wealth is arguably the result of a morally arbitrary “natural lottery,” [9] which may not actually confer strict property-rights over one’s holdings. [10] I didn’t choose where I was born, nor my parents’ wealth, nor my natural talents, which allow me to acquire wealth. So perhaps it’s not a violation of my rights to take some of that property from me.

(3) Public Goods: [11] ‘When objects, including capital, must be shared with others, then no one is strongly motivated to produce them. In turn, society is poorer and labor is more difficult because production is inefficient.’ [12]

Critique : People might be motivated to produce capital for altruistic reasons, [13] or may be coerced in some socialist systems to do so. Some putatively socialist systems allow for profitable production of capital goods. [14]

  (4) Tragedy of the Commons: ‘When capital, natural resources, or the environment are publicly controlled, no one is strongly motivated to protect them.’ [15]

Critique : As before, people might be motivated by altruism. [16] Some systems with partially-private control of capital may nevertheless qualify as socialist. [17]

2. Socialism

Arguments for socialism tend to hold that it’s unfair or harmful to have a system like in the story of the magic wand, a system with widespread wage labor and property income. Here are four arguments for socialism, stated briefly:

(1) Fairness: ‘It’s unfair to make money just by owning capital, as is possible only in a capitalist system.’ [18]

Critique : Perhaps fairness isn’t as morally important as consent, freedom, property rights, or beneficial consequences. And perhaps wage laborers consent to work, and capital owners have property rights over their capital. [19]

(2) Inequality: ‘When people can privately own capital, they can use it to get even richer relative to the poor, and the wage laborers are left poorer and poorer relative to the rich, thereby worsening the inequality that already exists between capital-owners and wage-laborers.’ [20]

Critiques : This is a disputable empirical claim. [21] And perhaps the ability to privately own capital encourages people to invest in building capital goods, thereby making goods and services cheaper. Further, perhaps monopolies commonly granted by social control over capital are “captured” by wealthy special-interests, [22] which harm the poor by enacting regressive laws. [23]

(3) Labor: ‘Wage laborers are alienated from their labor, exploited, and unfree because they must obey their bosses’ orders.’ [24]

Critiques : If this alienation and exploitation are net-harmful to workers, then why do workers consent to work? If the answer is ‘because they’ll suffer severe hardship otherwise,’ then strictly speaking, this is a critique of allowing poverty, not a critique of allowing wage labor.

(4) Selfishness: ‘When people can privately own capital, they selfishly pursue profit above all else, which leads to further inequality, environmental degradation, non-productive industries, economic instability, colonialism, mass murder, and slavery.’

Critique : These are also disputable empirical claims. Maybe when people are given control over socially -owned capital, they selfishly extract personal wealth from it. [25] Maybe when the environment is socially controlled, everyone is individually motivated to over-harvest and pollute. [26] State intervention in the economy may be a major cause of the existence of non-productive industry, pollution, and economic instability. [27] Last, some of the worst perpetrators of historical evils are governments, not private corporations. [28]

  3. Conclusion

It is difficult to justifiably draw general conclusions about what a pure capitalism or socialism would be like in practice. [29] But an examination of the merits and demerits of each system gives us some guidance about whether we should move a society in either direction.

[1] See my Defining Capitalism and Socialism for an explanation of how to define these systems.

[2] For much-more-extensive surveys, see Gilabert and O’Neill n.d. and Arnold n.d.

[3] By analogy, different people might try to construct even better magic wands, or use them for better purposes. Typically the benefits are thought to include lower prices, increased equality, innovation, and more options. See Smith 2003 [1776]: bk. 1, ch. 2 and Friedman and Friedman 1979: ch. 1.

[4] Schweickart 2011 presents an outline of a market socialism comprising much competition.

[5] By analogy, if I legitimately own the magic wand, then what gives you the right to threaten violence against me if I don’t give it to you? Nozick 1974: ch. 7 presents a general discussion of how socialism might restrict freedom and how taxation may be akin to theft or forced labor.

[6] Spencer 1995 [1871]: 103-4 and Zwolinski 2015 discuss how property might require coercion. See also Scott 2011: 32-33. Indeed, property in general may essentially be theft (Proudhon 1994 [1840]).

[7] See Rawls (1999: 176-7) for this sort of argument. See John Rawls’ ‘A Theory of Justice’ by Ben Davies for an introduction.

[8] See e.g. Burawoy 1979 for a discussion of whether workers consent to work. See also Marx 2004 (1867): vol. IV, ch. VII.

[9] Rawls 1999: 62 ff.

[10] Relatedly, while one may currently hold capital, one may greatly owe the existence of that product to many other people or to society in general. See e.g. Kropotkin 2015 [1913]: chs. 1-3 and Murphy and Nagel 2002.

[11] A public good is a good that is non-excludable (roughly, it is expensive to prevent people from using it) and non-rivalrously consumed (roughly, preventing people from using it causes harm without benefiting anyone) (Cowen 2008).

[12] By analogy, why bother building magic wands at all if someone else is immediately going to take it from me and start using it? Standard economic theory holds that public goods (non-excludable and non-rivalrous goods) will, on the free market, be underproduced. This is normally taken to be an argument for government to produce public goods. See e.g. Gaus 2008: 84 ff.

[13] For example, according to Marxist communism, the ideal socialist society would comprise production for use, not for profit. See e.g. Marx 2004 [1867]: vol. 1 ch. 7. See also Kropotkin 1902, which is a defense of the general claim that humans will tend to be altruistic, at least in anarcho-communist systems.

[14] In a market-socialist system (cf. Schweickart 2011), it is possible to make capital goods and sell them at a profit that gets distributed to the laborers.

[15] By analogy, if I know that anyone in the neighborhood can use the magic wand, I might not invest my own time and money to maintain it. But if it’s mine alone, I care a lot more about maintaining it. This is the basis of the well-known ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ alleged problem. See, e.g., Hardin 1968.

[16] Kropotkin 1902.

[17] As before, in Schweickart’s (2011) system, firms will be motivated to protect capital if they must pay for capital’s deprecation, even though the capital is owned by society.

[18] By analogy, as noted, the wand-owner might make lots of money for basically doing no work. Sherman 1995: 130; Schweickart 2011: § 3.2.

[19] See e.g. Friedman 2002 for a collection of consequentialist arguments for capitalism, and Nozick 1974: chs. 3 and 7 for some arguments concerning freedom and capitalist systems.

[20] By analogy, the wand-owner might accumulate so much money as to start buying other magic wands and renting those out as well. See e.g. Piketty 2014.

[21] Taking the world as a whole, wealth in absolute terms has been increasing greatly, and global poverty has been decreasing steeply, including in countries that have moved in mostly capitalist directions. See e.g. World Bank Group 2016: 3. Friedman 1989: ch. 5 argues that capitalism is responsible for the improved position of the poor today compared to the past.

[22] See e.g. Friedman 1989: ch. 7 for a discussion of regulatory capture.

[23] Friedman 2002: chs. IV and IX; Friedman 1989: ch. 4.

[24] By analogy, the person I’ve hired to use the wand might need to obey my orders, because they don’t have a wand of their own to rent out, and they might starve without the job I’ve offered them. Marx 2009 [1932] introduces and develops this concept of alienation. See Dan Lowe’s 2015 Karl Marx’s Conception of Alienation for an overview. See also Anderson 2015 for an argument that private corporations coercively violate their workers’ freedom.

[25] See n. 21 above. This result is most-obvious in countries in which dictators enrich themselves, but there is nothing in principle preventing rulers of ostensibly democratic countries from doing so as well. Presumably this worry explains the presence of the Emoluments Clause in the U. S. Constitution.

[26] See n. 14.

[27] See e.g. Friedman 2002: chs. III and V and the example of compliance costs for regulations.

[28] See Huemer 2013: ch. 6 ff.

[29] All or nearly all large-scale economies have been mixed economies. In contrast, a pure capitalism would be an anarcho-capitalism (see e.g. Gaus 2010: 75 ff. and Huemer 2013), and a pure socialism wouldn’t permit people to privately own scissors. See also the entry “Defining Capitalism and Socialism.”

Anderson, Elizabeth. 2015. Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (and Why We Don’t Talk about It) . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Arnold, Samuel. N. d. “Socialism.” In The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (ed.), The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy , URL = < https://www.iep.utm.edu/socialis/ >

Burawoy, Michael. 1979. Manufacturing Consent: Changes in the Labor Process under Monopoly Capitalism . Chicago, IL and London, UK: The University of Chicago Press.

Cohen, G. A. 2009. Why Not Socialism? Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Cowen, Tyler. 2008. “Public Goods.” In David R. Henderson (ed.), The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics . Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund.

Dagger, Richard and Terence Ball. 2019. “Socialism.” In Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (ed.), E ncyclopædia Britannica . Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/socialism

Dahl, Robert A. 1993. “Why All Democratic Countries have Mixed Economies.” Nomos 35: 259-82.

Dictionary.com. N.d. “Capitalism.” URL = < https://www.dictionary.com/browse/capitalism >

Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. 2019. “Henri de Saint-Simon.” In Encyclopædia Britannica , Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henri-de-Saint-Simon

Friedman, David D. 1989. The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism , Second Edition. La Salle, IL: Open Court Publishing Company.

Friedman, Milton. 2002. Capitalism and Freedom . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Friedman, Milton and Rose Friedman. 1979. Free to Choose: A Personal Statement . New York, NY: Harcourt Brace.

Gaus, Gerald. 2010. “The Idea and Ideal of Capitalism.” In George G. Brenkert and Tom L. Beauchamp (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Business Ethics . New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Gaus, Gerald. 2008. On Philosophy, Politics, and Economics . Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Gilabert, Pablo and Martin O’Neill. 2019. “Socialism.” In E. N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy . Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socialism/ .

Hardin, Garrett. 1968. “The Tragedy of the Commons.” Science 162(3859): 1243-48.

Herzog, Lisa. 2019. “Markets.” In E. N. Zalta (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy , Spring 2019 Edition, URL =https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2019/entries/markets/

Huemer, Michael. 2013. The Problem of Political Authority: An Examination of the Right to Coerce and the Duty to Obey . Houndmills, UK and New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Investopedia. 2019. “Mixed Economic System.” Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mixed-economic-system.asp

Kropotkin, P. 1902. Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution . New York, NY: McClure Phillips & Co.

Kropotkin, Peter. 2015 [1913]. The Conquest of Bread. London, UK: Penguin Classics.

Lowe, Dan. 2015. “Karl Marx’s Conception of Alienation.” 1000-Word Philosophy . Retrieved from https://1000wordphilosophy.com/2015/05/13/karl-marxs-conception-of-alienation/.

Marx, Karl. 2009 [1932]. “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844.” In Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 and the Communist Manifesto , tr. Martin Milligan (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books), pp. 13-202.

Marx, Karl. 2004 [1867]. Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Volume One . New York, NY: Penguin Classics.

Merriam-Webster. N.d. “Capitalism.” URL = < https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capitalism >

Mill, John Stuart. 1965 [1848]. Principles of Political Economy with Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy, Volume I: The Principles of Political Economy I , ed. J. M. Robson. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.

Murphy, Liam and Thomas Nagel. 2002. The Myth of Ownership: Taxes and Justice. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Nozick, Robert. 1974. Anarchy, State, and Utopia . New York, NY: Basic Books.

Oxford English Dictionary, N.d. a. “Capital.” Retrieved from http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/27450

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Piketty, Thomas. 2014. Capital in the Twenty-First Century , tr. Arthur Goldhammer. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Proudhon, Pierre-Joseph. 1994 [1840]. What is Property? Ed. Donald R. Kelley and Bonnie G. Smith. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

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Schweickart, David. 2011. After Capitalism , Second Edition. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Scott, Bruce R. 2011. Capitalism: Its Origins and Evolution as a System of Governance . New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media.

Sherman, Howard J. 1995. Reinventing Marxism . Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

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Zwolinski, Matt. 2015. “Property Rights, Coercion, and the Welfare State: The Libertarian Case for a Basic Income for All.” The Independent Review 19(4): 515-29

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Tom Metcalf is an associate professor at Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL. He received his PhD in philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He specializes in ethics, metaethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of religion. Tom has two cats whose names are Hesperus and Phosphorus. shc.academia.edu/ThomasMetcalf

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US EDITION OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST MAGAZINE

A vigorous and persuasive defense of capitalism

Johan Norberg’s A Capitalist Manifesto has much to commend it

Written By:

Michael M. Rosen

“Under capitalism,” John Kenneth Galbraith once quipped, “man exploits man. Under communism, it’s just the opposite.” For a left-wing economist such as Galbraith, this was about as close as one might get to exalting capitalism — damning by faint praise. But in The Capitalist Manifesto, a lively, closely argued polemic by the Swedish historian Johan Norberg, we find a much more vigorous and persuasive defense of the most successful economic system the world has ever seen, a mechanism for sowing widespread abundance and lifting billions out of penury.

“The argument for capitalism,” Norberg boldly declares in his…

“Under capitalism,” John Kenneth Galbraith once quipped, “man exploits man. Under communism, it’s just the opposite.” For a left-wing economist such as Galbraith, this was about as close as one might get to exalting capitalism — damning by faint praise. But in  The Capitalist Manifesto , a lively, closely argued polemic by the Swedish historian Johan Norberg, we find a much more vigorous and persuasive defense of the most successful economic system the world has ever seen, a mechanism for sowing widespread abundance and lifting billions out of penury.

“The argument for capitalism,” Norberg boldly declares in his preface, “is not that capitalists always behave well… but that they often  do not  behave well unless they have to. And it is freedom of choice and competition that force their hands.” From there, Norberg, who wrote the 1999 bestseller  In Defense of Global Capitalism , is off to the races, documenting how dramatically extreme poverty has fallen over the past quarter-century — from 29 percent of the world’s population to 8.4 percent. Although population expanded by some 1.5 billion during that period, the number of poor people declined by more than 1.1 billion.

The same is true in what used to be called the “Second World”: contrary to revisionist historians’ flimsy contentions, the post-Soviet countries that liberalized their economies and political systems the most “have on average developed the fastest and established the strongest democracies.”

Norberg is particularly effective when inveighing against regnant pieties about inequality in market economies by observing how the most persistent gaps between rich and poor appear in controlled economies that abjure free trade. “Unequal distribution in the world,” he says, “is due to the uneven distribution of capitalism: people who have it become rich; those who do not have it stay poor.” He also puts material benefit into appropriate perspective: far beyond providing twenty different brands of shampoo, capitalism dramatically increases our health and lifespans. And “the difference between living to the age of sixty-five or to eighty,” he writes, “is get[ting] to know our grandkids.”

In addition, Norberg convincingly debunks the arguments by market skeptics that the pandemic gave the lie to capitalist systems. On the contrary, the government shutdowns prompted by Covid shuttered economies and crippled free trade, and only when we restored the global movement of goods and people did we return to economic and political normality.

“Free market capitalism is not really about capital,” he contends, “it is about handing control of the economy from the top to billions of independent consumers, entrepreneurs and workers, and allowing them to make their own decisions about what they think will improve their lives.” He successfully reframes the market economy in terms not of rivalry and competition but exchange and cooperation, and he shows how the middle class and even gig economy workers have prospered under its aegis.

Nowadays, Norberg finds his pro-market advocacy under greater attack less often from the traditional left than from the nationalist “new” right. “Twenty years ago,” he laments, “capitalism was wrong because supposedly it made the world’s poor poorer. Now it is wrong because it makes the poor richer.” He vigorously refutes the facile claims of industrial policy exponents on both left and right by showing just how often it results in spectacular failure, as in the case of Quaero, the search-engine alternative to Google launched in 2005 by the French and German governments.

Nor, he argues, should we emulate the restrictive trade and corporatist policies implemented over the past fifteen years by China, whose growth has stalled as authoritarianism has returned, following decades of economically successful liberalization. “It is not the free world that has to become like China to beat China,” he asserts. “If China wants to ‘beat’ the free world, then China has to become free.”

As for monopoly power, Norberg reminds us, with Schumpeter, that market-facilitated innovation guarantees creative destruction even among the most concentrated giants. Kodak, Nokia, AOL and Blockbuster bestrode the world like colossi in very recent memory; where are they now?

He also notes that we vote with our feet for the Big Tech companies that supposedly exploit us, voluntarily exchanging access to our data for the tremendous benefits furnished by free search engines, email services and digital maps. He persuasively shows how economically liberal countries fare better on almost every environmental metric and explains how a market-driven carbon tax would appropriately “internalize the externalities” of ecological damage.

Some of Norberg’s claims (for example that the three decades after 1990 saw greater improvements in living conditions than the three millennia before them) sound eminently plausible but lack supporting documentation. And while there’s no doubt he’s a sincere believer, it’s a little convenient that “more capitalism” seems to be the solution to his every problem—including those created by markets.

Overall, unlike most polemics,  The Capitalist Manifesto  is surprisingly generous to market opponents (even ones as obtuse as Thomas Piketty and Naomi Klein), steel-manning their arguments rather than straw-manning them. Indeed, Norberg and his adversaries share a virulent distaste for large corporations, albeit for slightly different reasons: Norberg disdains the regulatory capture and government bailouts that have insulated such massive firms from, respectively, competition and market risk. All told, Norberg’s elegant manifesto has much to commend it. He demonstrates that,  pace  Galbraith, markets breed not exploitation, stinginess and misery but freedom, generosity and fulfillment.

This article was originally published in  The Spectator ’s January 2024 World edition.

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Home — Essay Samples — Economics — Political Economy — Capitalism

Essays on Capitalism

Capitalism and socialism essay topics and outline examples.

• The Evolution of Capitalism: From Its Origins to Modern Day
• Capitalism and Its Role in Promoting Innovation and Technology
• The Ethics of Capitalism: Exploring Moral Considerations in Free Markets
• Global Capitalism: Its Impact on Developing Economies
• The Relationship Between Capitalism and Environmental Sustainability
• Consumer Culture in Capitalist Societies: Implications and Critiques
• The Role of Government Regulation in Capitalist Economies
• Capitalism in the USA 1900-1940: A Historical Overview
• Capitalism vs. Socialism: Impact on Income Inequality
• The Impact of Capitalism on Underdevelopment in the Global South

Essay Title 1: Capitalism vs. Socialism: A Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems and Their Impacts

Thesis Statement: This argumentative essay critically evaluates capitalism and socialism as economic systems, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and societal consequences, and seeks to determine which system provides a more equitable and sustainable future.

• Introduction
• Capitalism: Market-Based Economy, Private Ownership, and Competition
• Socialism: Collective Ownership, Wealth Redistribution, and Government Control
• Economic Inequality: Wealth Disparities in Capitalist Societies
• Social Safety Nets: Welfare Programs and Social Services in Socialist Societies
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Capitalism's Role in Technological Advancements
• Environmental Sustainability: Examining the Impact of Both Systems on the Planet
• Conclusion: Striving for a Balanced Economic System that Addresses Inequities

Essay Title 2: The Role of Capitalism and Socialism in Modern Societies: Achieving Economic Prosperity and Social Equity

Thesis Statement: This argumentative essay explores the coexistence of capitalism and socialism within modern societies, emphasizing the potential benefits of a mixed economic system that combines market forces with social welfare measures to achieve economic prosperity and social equity.

• Mixed Economy: Combining Capitalist and Socialist Elements
• Income Redistribution: Progressive Taxation and Social Programs
• Healthcare and Education: Ensuring Universal Access and Quality
• Worker Rights: Labor Unions and Employment Protections
• Regulation and Competition: Balancing Market Dynamics and Consumer Protection
• Global Perspectives: Comparing Economic Systems in Different Countries
• Conclusion: Advancing Economic Prosperity and Social Equity Through a Balanced Approach

Essay Title 3: Capitalism, Socialism, and the Future of Economic Systems: Toward a More Equitable and Sustainable World

Thesis Statement: This argumentative essay envisions the future of economic systems, proposing the development of innovative models that incorporate the best aspects of both capitalism and socialism to create a more equitable, sustainable, and just global economy.

• Hybrid Models: Exploring Economic Systems That Promote Equity and Innovation
• Environmental Responsibility: Addressing Climate Change and Resource Conservation
• Global Wealth Distribution: Reducing Income Disparities Across Nations
• Education and Healthcare: Ensuring Access and Quality Worldwide
• Technology and Automation: Adapting to the Changing Nature of Work
• Collaborative Governance: International Cooperation for Economic Reform
• Conclusion: Striving for a New Economic Paradigm for a Better World

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The Solution to Poverty in India: Socialism Or Capitalism

The concept of alienation, the concept of social class in capitalist reality, a theme of global capitalism in vermeer’s hat by timothy brook and slave ship by marcus rediker, marx’s theory of commodity fetishism, new europe: the case of the city in smith’s view, what is pink capitalism and its representation in giovanni’s room, capitalism in sherwood anderson’s "mother", "capitalism: a love story": summary, comparison of free enterprise and communism, racism and capitalism in japan, depiction of industrial capitalism in the film modern times, the concept of alienation in the works of karl marx, why hawaii is not quite paradise, jay gould: one of the robber barons and captains of industry, the complex relationship between capitalism and poverty, socialism vs. capitalism: a comparative analysis, how the columbian exchange benefited europe and north america, why is capitalism better than communism, the key characteristics of the free enterprise system.

Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.

Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private property, property rights recognition, voluntary exchange, and wage labor.

Main types of capitalism include advanced capitalism, corporate capitalism, finance capitalism, free-market capitalism, mercantilism, social capitalism, state capitalism and welfare capitalism. Other variants of capitalism include anarcho-capitalism, community capitalism, humanistic capitalism, neo-capitalism, state monopoly capitalism, and technocapitalism.

Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Denmark, etc.

Capitalism is driven by the law of supply and demand. In a capitalist society people have more freedom to choose their career paths. Countries that have capitalist economies today are not 100% capitalist. This is because they all have some form of government regulation to guide business.

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• Universal Basic Income
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What is capitalism.

Please answer ONE of the following essay questions. In doing so, please offer detailed discussion based on close analysis of the readings for the class. The essay should be 5 pages double-spaced.

• Choose any three of the following theorists and compare their viewpoints on capitalism. How did each understand the nature of capitalism and its implications for society? On what basis did they offer their views? How and in what ways did their perspectives parallel or differ from the other two? You might want to consider how particular historical influences came into play or whether they were in dialogue with or reacting against each other. Which arguments do you find most persuasive and why? You may choose three of any of the following theorists: Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Pierre Bourdieu, Sherry Ortner, Satnam Virdee, David Harvey, or Guy Standing.
• In the 1940s, the work of Austrian economist F. A. Hayek and Austrian economic historian Karl Polanyi emerged out of the maelstrom of two world wars and attempted to address the question of whether or not capitalism was beneficial to society overall. (For Hayek, this question was linked to questions of individualism.) In your paper, describe the viewpoints of these two theorists on capitalism. How and why did they see capitalism as either supportive or destructive of social relations? On what did they base their opposing viewpoints? In your view, who offers the more and less persuasive arguments about capitalism and why?

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What is Capitalism?

How it works

“Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity” (Herbert Hoover). In the 1920s, America turned away from worldly concerns and began concentrating on domestic affairs. Some might refer to this period in America as the Decade of Optimism. It ushered in many forward thinkers, innovators, innovations, and cultural changes. For example, Henry Ford created an efficient and cheap means to mass produce automobiles. This allowed even those who earned a modest income to purchase one of his cars.

Airplanes, movies, radio stations, washing machines, refrigerators, and paved roads were just a few of the innovations that the 1920s produced. Additionally, the “Roaring 20s” gave women the right to vote with the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment. The beating heart of this time period was an economic system called capitalism. As defined by Merriam-Webster, capitalism is “an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market” (Merriam-Webster). Capitalism is about efficiency, economic freedom, and individual liberty.

The 1920s also saw three Republican presidents in the White House. The latter two, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover, praised private businesses, innovations, detested big government, and had “a deep faith in the essential soundness of capitalism, which…represented the fullest expression of individualism” (Scholastic). Capitalism paved the way for the innovations that shaped America. Entrepreneurs came up with ideas and were able to freely test them in the marketplace. Almost every product you love today is a product of capitalism. Conversely, almost everything you cannot stand is a product of the government (i.e., BMV, TSA, post offices, IRS). Henry Ford did not revolutionize the auto industry due to an order from the government. The great advancements of civilization were not created by government institutions but rather from private citizens. Entrepreneurs have given us products, innovations, and medicines that have become necessities in our society. Albeit, no system is perfect. Capitalism offers the most freedom and opportunity to each and every one of its citizens; it benefits its entire society and results in the most economic growth of any other economic system. First, capitalism offers the most freedom and opportunity to each and every one of its citizens. “Everyone has equal opportunity under capitalism. The important truth in this belief is that in countries with relatively open capitalist economies, it is possible for some poor people to work their way up. Most well-off Americans have only to trace back in their families one or two generations to find ancestors of poor or modest means” (Brians). Capitalism gives everyone an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams. It takes limitations away and offers endless possibilities. Those that rise to the top are the ones willing to take risks. They work hard and are dedicated. Additionally, Milton Friedman, an American economist, states, “The great virtue of a free market system is that it does not care what color people are; it does not care what their religion is; it only cares whether they can produce something you want to buy. It is the most effective system we have discovered to enable people who hate one another to deal with one another and help one another” (Friedman). Where monopolies and trading restrictions are common, so too is the special treatment of racial and religious groups over another and, as Friedman adds, the ability to “keep people in their place” (Friedman).

Second, everyone benefits in a capitalist society. Capitalism benefits more than just wealthy entrepreneurs. Everyone benefits from their innovations. The freer the society, the better off its citizens are along many non-economic lines. Thanks to innovations and advancements in technology, even a low-income earner in a capitalist society is better off now than they were years ago, even when comparing living standards for them today with citizens of less free economic societies. Antony Davies and James Harrigan summarize: “On average, people in countries that are more economically free enjoy higher incomes, suffer less unemployment and less poverty, experience less child labor, less gender inequality, less income inequality, less deforestation, and better air quality. Yes, even the environment is healthier where economic freedom is greater” (Horowitz). Capitalism offers its citizens a higher standard of living. Most have electricity, modern plumbing, heating, air conditioning, cell phones, TVs, cable, and more. Most have at least a basic education. Thanks to modern medicine and accessibility to all, people are living longer, as there is less sickness and disease. Even if an individual does not seem to be financially well off under capitalism, they still benefit in many ways. In contrast, with stratified social systems and socialism, necessities deemed by a capitalist society only seem to go to those at the top. Bernie Sanders and other Democratic Socialist American politicians like to talk about the 1%ers in America. However, a citizen of capitalist-leaning America making $34,000 a year after taxes makes up the world’s 1% (Hawkins). Capitalism has afforded American citizens with a better quality of life than much of the world. Lastly, capitalism results in the most economic growth of any other economic system. “Economic growth is measured by an increase in the amount of goods and services produced over a period of time. The more growth we see, the more we produce as a society,” (Spaceship.com). Entrepreneurs, incentivized by their innovations, create a climate of innovation and economic expansion. Innovation and economic expansion increase the real GDP, leading to improved living standards. The trickle-down from the rich to the poor increases the wealth of all citizens under capitalism and enables a higher standard of living. One way to measure how well a person or country is doing economically is to look at the GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which is the total number of goods and services produced in a year. The Fraser Institute summarizes:

“Nations in the top quartile of economic freedom had an average per-capita GDP of $42,463 in 2015, compared to $6,036 for bottom quartile nations (PPP constant 2011 US$). In the top quartile, the average income of the poorest 10% was $11,998, compared to $1,124 in the bottom quartile in 2015 (PPP constant 2011 US$.) Interestingly, the average income of the poorest 10% in the most economically free nations is almost twice the average per capita income in the least free nations,” (Horowitz).

What this Economic Freedom of the World Index proves is a direct correlation between those countries that are economically better off also being the most economically free. “The average person in the United States produces 3.4x more than the world average in terms of GDP per capita” (Spaceship.com). America is also one of the most capitalist countries in the world.

Conversely, opponents of capitalism claim that it produces a culture of greed, with high-earning “fat cat” CEOs, Wall Street bankers, and entrepreneurs making exorbitant amounts of money while their employees earn only a meager salary. One cannot dispute the fact that all economic systems reflect inherent self-concern. However, these “fat cats” have no choice but to concern themselves with the needs of others, which is quite the opposite of greed. They must work with others to design goods and services that meet the needs of their consumers. Their profit is not so much self-interest as it is a measure of how well they have listened to and met their consumers’ needs. Capitalism is a two-way, fair voluntary economic exchange. When two free people come together on agreed-upon terms to peacefully exchange, each benefits. If the entrepreneur puts their needs above their consumers’, the business will surely fail, and a more altruistic entrepreneur would step in and offer the consumer what they were looking for, replacing the greedy one. Milton Friedman asked, “Is there any society that doesn’t run on greed?” (Friedman). Does Venezuela not run on greed? To suggest that capitalism is the only economic system to run on greed would be incorrect. Friedman continues:

“The only cases in which masses of people have escaped grinding poverty in recorded history are where they’ve had capitalism and free trade. Where the masses are worst off, it’s exactly in the places where countries have departed from capitalism and free trade. There is no alternate system thus far that can hold a candle to the productive activities that are unleashed by free enterprise” (Friedman). In conclusion, capitalism offers the most freedom and opportunity to each and every one of its citizens. It benefits its entire society and results in the most economic growth of any other economic system. Unless one is ashamed of unparalleled increases in income, increasing life expectancy, higher levels of education, and more political freedom, there is no reason to turn away from capitalism. It is a well-established, historically proven fact that when people are free to buy, sell, and invest with one another freely, they can achieve far more than when governments attempt to control those decisions. Capitalism’s superiority for economic growth and advancements is for everyone who believes that wealth is better than poverty; education is better than ignorance, and liberty is better than oppression. “One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results,” Friedman noted.

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15.10 Persuasive Essay

Learning objective.

• Read an example of the persuasive rhetorical mode.

Universal Health Care Coverage for the United States

The United States is the only modernized Western nation that does not offer publicly funded health care to all its citizens; the costs of health care for the uninsured in the United States are prohibitive, and the practices of insurance companies are often more interested in profit margins than providing health care. These conditions are incompatible with US ideals and standards, and it is time for the US government to provide universal health care coverage for all its citizens. Like education, health care should be considered a fundamental right of all US citizens, not simply a privilege for the upper and middle classes.

One of the most common arguments against providing universal health care coverage (UHC) is that it will cost too much money. In other words, UHC would raise taxes too much. While providing health care for all US citizens would cost a lot of money for every tax-paying citizen, citizens need to examine exactly how much money it would cost, and more important, how much money is “too much” when it comes to opening up health care for all. Those who have health insurance already pay too much money, and those without coverage are charged unfathomable amounts. The cost of publicly funded health care versus the cost of current insurance premiums is unclear. In fact, some Americans, especially those in lower income brackets, could stand to pay less than their current premiums.

However, even if UHC would cost Americans a bit more money each year, we ought to reflect on what type of country we would like to live in, and what types of morals we represent if we are more willing to deny health care to others on the basis of saving a couple hundred dollars per year. In a system that privileges capitalism and rugged individualism, little room remains for compassion and love. It is time that Americans realize the amorality of US hospitals forced to turn away the sick and poor. UHC is a health care system that aligns more closely with the core values that so many Americans espouse and respect, and it is time to realize its potential.

Another common argument against UHC in the United States is that other comparable national health care systems, like that of England, France, or Canada, are bankrupt or rife with problems. UHC opponents claim that sick patients in these countries often wait in long lines or long wait lists for basic health care. Opponents also commonly accuse these systems of being unable to pay for themselves, racking up huge deficits year after year. A fair amount of truth lies in these claims, but Americans must remember to put those problems in context with the problems of the current US system as well. It is true that people often wait to see a doctor in countries with UHC, but we in the United States wait as well, and we often schedule appointments weeks in advance, only to have onerous waits in the doctor’s “waiting rooms.”

Critical and urgent care abroad is always treated urgently, much the same as it is treated in the United States. The main difference there, however, is cost. Even health insurance policy holders are not safe from the costs of health care in the United States. Each day an American acquires a form of cancer, and the only effective treatment might be considered “experimental” by an insurance company and thus is not covered. Without medical coverage, the patient must pay for the treatment out of pocket. But these costs may be so prohibitive that the patient will either opt for a less effective, but covered, treatment; opt for no treatment at all; or attempt to pay the costs of treatment and experience unimaginable financial consequences. Medical bills in these cases can easily rise into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is enough to force even wealthy families out of their homes and into perpetual debt. Even though each American could someday face this unfortunate situation, many still choose to take the financial risk. Instead of gambling with health and financial welfare, US citizens should press their representatives to set up UHC, where their coverage will be guaranteed and affordable.

Despite the opponents’ claims against UHC, a universal system will save lives and encourage the health of all Americans. Why has public education been so easily accepted, but not public health care? It is time for Americans to start thinking socially about health in the same ways they think about education and police services: as rights of US citizens.

Online Persuasive Essay Alternatives

Martin Luther King Jr. writes persuasively about civil disobedience in Letter from Birmingham Jail :

• http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/frequentdocs/birmingham.pdf
• http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/Letter_Birmingham_Jail.pdf
• http://www.oak-tree.us/stuff/King-Birmingham.pdf

Michael Levin argues The Case for Torture :

• http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/torture.html

Alan Dershowitz argues The Case for Torture Warrants :

• http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2011/09/07/the-case-for-torture-warrants/

Alisa Solomon argues The Case against Torture :

• http://www.villagevoice.com/2001-11-27/news/the-case-against-torture/1

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Essays on Capitalism

Your capitalism essay will be easy to write as long as you understand the meaning of capitalism. Capitalism is an economic system that has dominated the Western world after the collapse of feudalism. It implies that most production means are privately owned, while production and distribution occur under the influence of market mechanisms. Our capitalism essay samples will surely further your understanding of the topic – you can click on the essays that interest you below. Don’t know which angle to pick for your essay? You needn’t worry, simply browse the samples of capitalism essays we picked out for you – some of the provided essays on capitalism are bound to pick your fancy.

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Karl Marx and the Capitalist Mode of Production Karl Marx provided very succinct and undeniable evidence and arguments about the capitalist mode of production whose roots are ingrained in the ideologies of political economy. He notes that despite the political economy failing to adequately and confidently convince nor define the capitalist...

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Stephan Resnick and Richard Wolff, "The Economic Crisis: A Marxian Interpretation. This research paper frames the discussion about capitalist crisis in the United States around the matters of exploited workers, wealth distribution, the injustices arising from the issues and the consequences they have on the economic system. Resnick and Wolff...

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The Capitalism Theory The capitalism theory argues the existence of an economy marked by private property, markets, and firms (Barnes, 2018). Here, the establishment of a capitalistic system is founded on ownership rights of properties, the presence of defined markets where entities undertake the exchange of goods and services for mutual...

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• © 2017

Feminism, Capitalism, and Critique

Essays in Honor of Nancy Fraser

• Banu Bargu 0 ,
• Chiara Bottici 1

Department of Politics, New School for Social Research, New York, USA

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Department of Philosophy, New School for Social Research, New York, USA

• Offers contributions from leading thinkers across disciplines of philosophy, political science, sociology, gender studies, and economics
• Examines the work of Nancy Fraser, one of the most prominent critical theorists today, through meditations on such themes as capitalism, feminism, and modalities of critique that have defined her research trajectory
• Presents original analyses of the role of women, gender, and sexuality in the recent capitalist crisis

32k Accesses

39 Citations

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• Table of contents

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

Front matter, introduction.

• Banu Bargu, Chiara Bottici

From Socialist Feminism to the Critique of Global Capitalism

• Richard J. Bernstein

Debates on Slavery, Capitalism and Race: Old and New

• Robin Blackburn

Feminism, Capitalism, and the Social Regulation of Sexuality

• Johanna Oksala

Capitalism’s Insidious Charm vs. Women’s and Sexual Liberation

• Cinzia Arruzza

The Long Life of Nancy Fraser’s “Rethinking the Public Sphere”

• Jane Mansbridge

Feminism, Ecology, and Capitalism: Nancy Fraser’s Contribution to a Radical Notion of Critique as Disclosure

• María Pía Lara

Recognition, Redistribution, and Participatory Parity: Where’s the Law?

• William E. Scheuerman

(Parity of) Participation – The Missing Link Between Resources and Resonance

• Hartmut Rosa

Curbing the Absolute Power of Disembedded Financial Markets: The Grammar of Counter-Hegemonic Resistance and the Polanyian Narrative

• Alessandro Ferrara

Hegel and Marx: A Reassessment After One Century

• Axel Honneth

Crisis, Contradiction, and the Task of a Critical Theory

• Rahel Jaeggi

What’s Critical About a Critical Theory of Justice?

• Rainer Forst

Beyond Kant Versus Hegel: An Alternative Strategy for Grounding the Normativity of Critique

Nancy fraser and the left: a searching idea of equality.

• Eli Zaretsky

Back Matter

• Frankfurt school
• civil disobedience
• redistribution
• recognition
• participation
• intersectionality
• public sphere
• counterpublics
• neoliberalism
• subjectivity
• externalities

Chiara Bottici

Banu Bargu is Associate Professor of Politics at the New School for Social Research, USA.  She is the author of  Starve and Immolate: The Politics of Human Weapons  (2014), which received APSA’s First Book Prize given by the Foundations of Political Theory section and was named an Outstanding Academic Title for 2015 by Choice.

Chiara Bottici is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research, USA. She is the author of  Imaginal Politics: Images beyond Imagination and The Imaginary  (2014),  A Philosophy of Political Myth  (2007), and  Uomini e stati. Percorsi di un'analogia  (2004), which was published in English as  Men and States  (2009). 

Book Title : Feminism, Capitalism, and Critique

Book Subtitle : Essays in Honor of Nancy Fraser

Editors : Banu Bargu, Chiara Bottici

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52386-6

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan Cham

eBook Packages : Political Science and International Studies , Political Science and International Studies (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017

Hardcover ISBN : 978-3-319-52385-9 Published: 03 August 2017

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-319-84893-8 Published: 03 August 2018

eBook ISBN : 978-3-319-52386-6 Published: 24 July 2017

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : VIII, 323

Topics : Political Theory , Democracy , Feminism , Critical Theory , Political Philosophy , Political Sociology

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Tips and Tricks

Allison Bressmer

Most composition classes you’ll take will teach the art of persuasive writing. That’s a good thing.

Knowing where you stand on issues and knowing how to argue for or against something is a skill that will serve you well both inside and outside of the classroom.

Persuasion is the art of using logic to prompt audiences to change their mind or take action , and is generally seen as accomplishing that goal by appealing to emotions and feelings.

A persuasive essay is one that attempts to get a reader to agree with your perspective.

Ready for some tips on how to produce a well-written, well-rounded, well-structured persuasive essay? Just say yes. I don’t want to have to write another essay to convince you!

How Do I Write a Persuasive Essay?

What are some good topics for a persuasive essay, how do i identify an audience for my persuasive essay, how do you create an effective persuasive essay, how should i edit my persuasive essay.

Your persuasive essay needs to have the three components required of any essay: the introduction , body , and conclusion .

That is essay structure. However, there is flexibility in that structure.

There is no rule (unless the assignment has specific rules) for how many paragraphs any of those sections need.

Although the components should be proportional; the body paragraphs will comprise most of your persuasive essay.

How Do I Start a Persuasive Essay?

As with any essay introduction, this paragraph is where you grab your audience’s attention, provide context for the topic of discussion, and present your thesis statement.

TIP 1: Some writers find it easier to write their introductions last. As long as you have your working thesis, this is a perfectly acceptable approach. From that thesis, you can plan your body paragraphs and then go back and write your introduction.

TIP 2: Avoid “announcing” your thesis. Don’t include statements like this:

• “In my essay I will show why extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”
• “The purpose of my essay is to argue that extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”

Announcements take away from the originality, authority, and sophistication of your writing.

Instead, write a convincing thesis statement that answers the question "so what?" Why is the topic important, what do you think about it, and why do you think that? Be specific.

How Many Paragraphs Should a Persuasive Essay Have?

This body of your persuasive essay is the section in which you develop the arguments that support your thesis. Consider these questions as you plan this section of your essay:

• What arguments support your thesis?
• What is the best order for your arguments?
• What evidence do you have?
• Will you address the opposing argument to your own?
• How can you conclude convincingly?

TIP: Brainstorm and do your research before you decide which arguments you’ll focus on in your discussion. Make a list of possibilities and go with the ones that are strongest, that you can discuss with the most confidence, and that help you balance your rhetorical triangle .

What Should I Put in the Conclusion of a Persuasive Essay?

The conclusion is your “mic-drop” moment. Think about how you can leave your audience with a strong final comment.

And while a conclusion often re-emphasizes the main points of a discussion, it shouldn’t simply repeat them.

TIP 1: Be careful not to introduce a new argument in the conclusion—there’s no time to develop it now that you’ve reached the end of your discussion!

TIP 2 : As with your thesis, avoid announcing your conclusion. Don’t start your conclusion with “in conclusion” or “to conclude” or “to end my essay” type statements. Your audience should be able to see that you are bringing the discussion to a close without those overused, less sophisticated signals.

If your instructor has assigned you a topic, then you’ve already got your issue; you’ll just have to determine where you stand on the issue. Where you stand on your topic is your position on that topic.

Your position will ultimately become the thesis of your persuasive essay: the statement the rest of the essay argues for and supports, intending to convince your audience to consider your point of view.

If you have to choose your own topic, use these guidelines to help you make your selection:

• Choose an issue you truly care about
• Choose an issue that is actually debatable

Simple “tastes” (likes and dislikes) can’t really be argued. No matter how many ways someone tries to convince me that milk chocolate rules, I just won’t agree.

It’s dark chocolate or nothing as far as my tastes are concerned.

Similarly, you can’t convince a person to “like” one film more than another in an essay.

You could argue that one movie has superior qualities than another: cinematography, acting, directing, etc. but you can’t convince a person that the film really appeals to them.

Once you’ve selected your issue, determine your position just as you would for an assigned topic. That position will ultimately become your thesis.

Until you’ve finalized your work, consider your thesis a “working thesis.”

This means that your statement represents your position, but you might change its phrasing or structure for that final version.

When you’re writing an essay for a class, it can seem strange to identify an audience—isn’t the audience the instructor?

Your instructor will read and evaluate your essay, and may be part of your greater audience, but you shouldn’t just write for your teacher.

Think about who your intended audience is.

For an argument essay, think of your audience as the people who disagree with you—the people who need convincing.

That population could be quite broad, for example, if you’re arguing a political issue, or narrow, if you’re trying to convince your parents to extend your curfew.

Once you’ve got a sense of your audience, it’s time to consult with Aristotle. Aristotle’s teaching on persuasion has shaped communication since about 330 BC. Apparently, it works.

Aristotle taught that in order to convince an audience of something, the communicator needs to balance the three elements of the rhetorical triangle to achieve the best results.

Those three elements are ethos , logos , and pathos .

Ethos relates to credibility and trustworthiness. How can you, as the writer, demonstrate your credibility as a source of information to your audience?

How will you show them you are worthy of their trust?

• You show you’ve done your research: you understand the issue, both sides
• You show respect for the opposing side: if you disrespect your audience, they won’t respect you or your ideas

Logos relates to logic. How will you convince your audience that your arguments and ideas are reasonable?

You provide facts or other supporting evidence to support your claims.

That evidence may take the form of studies or expert input or reasonable examples or a combination of all of those things, depending on the specific requirements of your assignment.

Remember: if you use someone else’s ideas or words in your essay, you need to give them credit.

ProWritingAid's Plagiarism Checker checks your work against over a billion web-pages, published works, and academic papers so you can be sure of its originality.

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Pathos relates to emotion. Audiences are people and people are emotional beings. We respond to emotional prompts. How will you engage your audience with your arguments on an emotional level?

• You make strategic word choices : words have denotations (dictionary meanings) and also connotations, or emotional values. Use words whose connotations will help prompt the feelings you want your audience to experience.
• You use emotionally engaging examples to support your claims or make a point, prompting your audience to be moved by your discussion.

Be mindful as you lean into elements of the triangle. Too much pathos and your audience might end up feeling manipulated, roll their eyes and move on.

An “all logos” approach will leave your essay dry and without a sense of voice; it will probably bore your audience rather than make them care.

Once you’ve got your essay planned, start writing! Don’t worry about perfection, just get your ideas out of your head and off your list and into a rough essay format.

After you’ve written your draft, evaluate your work. What works and what doesn’t? For help with evaluating and revising your work, check out this ProWritingAid post on manuscript revision .

After you’ve evaluated your draft, revise it. Repeat that process as many times as you need to make your work the best it can be.

When you’re satisfied with the content and structure of the essay, take it through the editing process .

Grammatical or sentence-level errors can distract your audience or even detract from the ethos—the authority—of your work.

You don’t have to edit alone! ProWritingAid’s Realtime Report will find errors and make suggestions for improvements.

You can even use it on emails to your professors:

Try ProWritingAid with a free account.

How Can I Improve My Persuasion Skills?

You can develop your powers of persuasion every day just by observing what’s around you.

• How is that advertisement working to convince you to buy a product?
• How is a political candidate arguing for you to vote for them?
• How do you “argue” with friends about what to do over the weekend, or convince your boss to give you a raise?
• How are your parents working to convince you to follow a certain academic or career path?

As you observe these arguments in action, evaluate them. Why are they effective or why do they fail?

How could an argument be strengthened with more (or less) emphasis on ethos, logos, and pathos?

Every argument is an opportunity to learn! Observe them, evaluate them, and use them to perfect your own powers of persuasion.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Allison Bressmer is a professor of freshman composition and critical reading at a community college and a freelance writer. If she isn’t writing or teaching, you’ll likely find her reading a book or listening to a podcast while happily sipping a semi-sweet iced tea or happy-houring with friends. She lives in New York with her family. Connect at linkedin.com/in/allisonbressmer.

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Step-by-Step Guide + Examples

Have you ever tried to get somebody round to your way of thinking? Then you should know how daunting the task is. Still, if your persuasion is successful, the result is emotionally rewarding.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

A persuasive essay is a type of writing that uses facts and logic to argument and substantiate such or another point of view. The purpose is to assure the reader that the author’s position is viable. In this article by Custom-writing experts, you can find a guide on persuasive writing, compelling examples, and outline structure. Continue reading and learn how to write a persuasive essay!

⚖️ Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essay

• 🐾 Step-by-Step Writing Guide

🔗 References

An argumentative essay intends to attack the opposing point of view, discussing its drawbacks and inconsistencies. A persuasive essay describes only the writer’s opinion, explaining why it is a believable one. In other words, you are not an opponent; you are an advocate.

A persuasive essay primarily resorts to emotions and personal ideas on a deeper level of meaning, while an argumentative one invokes logic reasoning. Despite the superficial similarity of these two genres, argumentative speech presupposes intense research of the subject, while persuasive speech requires a good knowledge of the audience.

🐾 How to Write a Persuasive Essay Step by Step

These nine steps are the closest thing you will find to a shortcut for writing to persuade. With practice, you may get through these steps quickly—or even figure out new techniques in persuasive writing.

📑 Persuasive Essay Outline

Below you’ll find an example of a persuasive essay outline . Remember: papers in this genre are more flexible than argumentative essays are. You don’t need to build a perfectly logical structure here. Your goal is to persuade your reader.

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Note that the next section contains a sample written in accordance with this outline.

Persuasive Essay Introduction

• Hook: start with an intriguing sentence.
• Background: describe the context of the discussed issue and familiarize the reader with the argument.
• Definitions: if your essay dwells upon a theoretical subject matter, be sure to explain the complicated terms.
• Thesis statement: state the purpose of your piece of writing clearly and concisely. This is the most substantial sentence of the entire essay, so take your time formulating it.

Persuasive Essay Body

Use the following template for each paragraph.

• Topic sentence: linking each new idea to the thesis, it introduces a paragraph. Use only one separate argument for each section, stating it in the topic sentence.
• Evidence: substantiate the previous sentence with reliable information. If it is your personal opinion, give the reasons why you think so.
• Analysis: build the argument, explaining how the evidence supports your thesis.

Persuasive Essay Conclusion

• Summary: briefly list the main points of the essay in a couple of sentences.
• Significance: connect your essay to a broader idea.
• Future: how can your argument be developed?

⭐ Persuasive Essay Examples

In this section, there are three great persuasive essay examples. The first one is written in accordance with the outline above, will the components indicated. Two others are downloadable.

Example #1: Being a Millionaire is a Bad Thing

Introduction, paragraph #1, paragraph #2, paragraph #3, example #2: teachers or doctors.

The importance of doctors in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to overstate. The well-being of the nation depends on how well doctors can fulfill their duties before society. The US society acknowledges the importance of doctors and healthcare, as it is ready to pay large sums of money to cure the diseases. However, during the lockdown, students and parents all around the world began to understand the importance of teachers.

Before lockdown, everyone took the presence of teachers for granted, as they were always available free of charge. In this country, it has always been the case that while doctors received praises and monetary benefits, teachers remained humble, even though they play the most important role for humanity: passing the knowledge through generations. How fair is that? The present paper claims that even in the period of the pandemic, teachers contribute more to modern society than doctors do.

Example #3: Is Online or Homeschool More Effective?

The learning process can be divided into traditional education in an educational institution and distance learning. The latter form has recently become widely popular due to the development of technology. Besides, the COVID-19 pandemic is driving the increased interest in distance learning. However, there is controversy about whether this form of training is sufficient enough. This essay aims to examine online and homeschooling in a historical and contemporary context and to confirm the thesis that such activity is at least equivalent to a standard type of education.

Persuasive Essay Topics

• Why do managers hate the performance evaluation?  
• Why human cloning should be prohibited.  
• Social media have negative physical and psychological effect on teenagers.  
• Using cell phones while driving should be completely forbidden.  
• Why is business ethics important? 
• Media should change its negative representation of ageing and older people.  
• What is going on with the world?  
• Good communication skills are critical for successful business.  
• Why capitalism is the best economic system.  
• Sleep is extremely important for human health and wellbeing.  
• Face-to-face education is more effective than online education.  
• Why video games can be beneficial for teenagers.  
• Bullies should be expelled from school as they encroach on the school safety.  
• Why accountancy is a great occupation and more people should consider it as a future career.  
• The reasons art and music therapy should be included in basic health insurance.  
• Impact of climate change on the indoor environment.  
• Parents should vaccinate their children to prevent the spread of deadly diseases.  
• Why celebrities should pay more attention to the values they promote.  
• What is wrong with realism?  
• Why water recycling should be every government’s priority.  
• Media spreads fear and panic among people.  
• Why e-business is very important for modern organizations.  
• People should own guns for self-protection.  
• The neccessity of container deposit legislation. 
• We must save crocodiles to protect ecological balance.  
• Why we should pay more attention to renewable energy projects.  
• Anthropology is a critically relevant science.  
• Why it’s important to create a new global financial order .  
• Why biodiversity is crucial for the environment?  
• Why process safety management is crucial for every organization.  
• Speed limits must not be increased.  
• What’s wrong with grades at school ?  
• Why tattoos should be considered as a form of fine art.  
• Using all-natural bath and body products is the best choice for human health and safety.  
• What is cancel culture?  
• Why the Internet has become a problem of modern society.  
• Illegal immigrants should be provided with basic social services.  
• Smoking in public places must be banned for people’s safety and comfort.  
• Why it is essential to control our nutrition .  
• How to stimulate economic growth?  
• Why exercise is beneficial for people.  
• Studying history is decisive for the modern world.  
• We must decrease fuel consumption to stop global warming.  
• Why fighting social inequality is necessary.  
• Why should businesses welcome remote work?  
• Social media harms communication within families.   
• College athletes should be paid for their achievements.  
• Electronic books should replace print books.  
• People should stop cutting down rainforest .  
• Why every company should have a web page .  
• Tips To Write An Effective Persuasive Essay: The College Puzzle, Stanford University
• 31 Powerful Persuasive Writing Techniques: Writtent
• Persuasive Essay Outline: Houston Community College System
• Essays that Worked: Hamilton College
• Argumentative Essays // Purdue Writing Lab
• Persuasion – Writing for Success (University of Minnesota)
• Persuasive Writing (Manitoba Education)
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I’m happy you found the article helpful, Allie. Thank you for your feedback!

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