0473 POS 212

1. Identify the given empirical statements. Identify the normative statements. Explain the difference of
normative and an empirical statement.

Statement X: The rate of population growth has decreased in Italy since the 1990s.

Statement Y: Developing countries should adopt population growth policies similar to Italy’s.

Statement X is the empirical statement because this study needs experimentation to solve or find the
answer to the hypothesis. This needs a meticulous study, with a connection to interacting with people so
that it will cause truthfully answers which doesn’t come out from only guessing. In statement X, we can
see the generation of a theory that is a suggesting explanation for certain empirically testable
phenomena. Whereas an analysis will be planned to test the hypothesis after the formulation of a
hypothesis. Meanwhile statement Y is merely a normative statement because it is an obvious opinion or
ideally statement without a thorough examination. Because of normative concerns on how an agent
should choose or make a decision making within a particular dilemma.

2. Give a topic on poverty-COVID-19 19 related conditions using class theory / approach. Identify your
statements on independent and dependent variables.

- The trillions of debt in the Philippines in 2020(dependent), these are debts including the
previous administration with a the high acceleration of borrowing money caused by the dropping of our
economy for expensing the needs of Filipinos and temporarily stopping of the jobs during the lockdown,
and the owning of the responsibility in everything of the government due to the pandemic . Another
thing is that taxes won’t suffice if we want to fund the government’s budget (independent), wherein the
proposed 2021 budget is at P4.467 trillion, while projected revenues are at P2.717 trillion. The deficit is
amounting to P1.749 trillion, which is 8.5% of GDP, will come from borrowings. Despite the reasons that
affect the debts of Philippines, it became big because of government’s irresponsibility of being
insufficient, plus the undeniably corruption that is happening in our government. According to Adam
Smith, a political economy belongs to no nation; it belongs to no country: it is the science of the laws of
wealth creation, accumulation, distribution, and consumption. If you wish it or not, it will assert itself. It
is built on the human mind’s qualities, and no force can alter it.’ This mean that an economy is a
responsibility of everyone who inhabits the states because according to also to Mr.Buckle, political
economy is “The Wealth of the Nation”. In contrast, if you own something, it should be your full
commitment to carry the tasks or duty to maintain or upgrade it. Relating to this condition is the
political economy theory wherein it falls here to manage the economy inside the state. The term
political economy is still widely used to describe any government policy that has an economic impact.
This creates a big question mark, whether the state is still capable of funding its people with its money?
Or does the intervention of politics in the economy yet useful, or it’s all about politicking? The condition
of the Philippines today was not that critical on debt. Even, people are considering it very big because
they can’t feel the money, they can’t see the trillions, for they expect a worthy thing where that money
goes. However because a lot of issues like this recent Philhealth and Dolomite issues, the people went
crazy and they thought that debt is being corrupted by the government, especially the executive, that’s
why everyone throws fires on him for not analyzing well that money was being transferred to those
other agencies of the public servants. And I think handing the help to the people failed because public
administrations and LGU’s was unable to be efficient and give social equity that leads them to failure to
use economy and effectivity.

Https://www.rappler.com/business/explainer-philippine-debt-soars-pandemic-should-filipinos-worry.
(n.d.). Https://www.rappler.com/business/explainer-philippine-debt-soars-pandemic-should-filipinos-
worry.