HIST 1302: The US from 1877

Debate Brief
Name: Heriberto Sastre

Student Number: A00255648

Debate Topic: “Democratic socialism is a better model for the U.S. to base their contemporary
economic and social systems on.”

Debate Position (Supporting or Opposing): supporting

Opening Statement (Thesis and Background):

In this debate I want to prove why democratic socialism is a better model for the United States
to have as its foundation of its economic and social system.
The United States has always been proud of its dedication to democracy and liberty. However, it
has been clear that in recent years our old capitalist economy did not address wealth inequality,
access to affordable healthcare, cheap education and environmental preservation. As the book by
the title “Democratic Socialism: A Global Survey” by Donald F. Busky said “Hyndman believed
that a bureaucratic, state capitalism was likely to be corrupt”(83). Therefore, more Americans are
becoming disillusioned and frustrated.
While democratic socialism is sometimes misunderstood it is not a threat to our democracy and
individual freedom. On the contrary it attempts to use democracy’s advantages to guarantee that
the privileges of a rich society are distributed more fairly among its population. Therefore,
democratic socialism offers a realistic strategy to address Americas problems, promoting a
society with economic development, social welfare and individual liberty.

Arguments (Main Points and Evidence):

Argument #1 Economic equality and social welfare:

Democratic socialism argues for more fair wealth distribution, guaranteeing that all citizens
have equal access to essential services like healthcare, education, and affordable housing, hence
lowering economic inequality and boosting general well-being.
the book “ capital on the 21st century” by Thomas Piketty gives a valuable information into
economic inequality and the benefits of having democratic socialism. He argues that “Social and
economic inequalities … are just only if they result in compensating benefits for everyone, and
in particular for the least advantaged members of society” (John Rawls, A Theory of Justice
Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 15).

In his book Piketty also illustrates that unrestrained capitalism accelerates income inequality by
concentrating wealth in the hands of a few people while leaving a major percentage of the
population unable to get and afford basic human necessities. This increasing inequality not only
threatens social harmony, but it also impedes economic progress in our society.
Democratic socialism, at its core, manifests as a potent tool aimed at erasing social disparities
and bring humanity towards a future characterized by enhanced quality of life and equal
economic standings.

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Unlike capitalism, Democratic socialism, aims to solve inequality by installing policies that
encourage a more equitable allocation of income and resources. Democratic socialism seeks to
guarantee that the money is shared more equally among all individuals by aiming for progressive
taxation, social safety nets, and universal access to key services.

Argument #2 Economic growth and job creation:

Democratic socialism promotes inclusive economic growth and job creation through the
betterment in infrastructure, renewable energy, and innovation, all this resulting in a wealthier
society where economic progress benefits all residents rather than a few.
On democratic socialism Elected officials regularly participate in continual communication and
try to contact the people they serve. This includes hosting town meetings, public forums, and
having open dialogues where community members can voice their concerns, give feedback to the
government, and express their opinions on a variety of issues.
In the article "Working for the Few: Political Capture and Economic Inequality" by Oxfam
published in 2014, the authors clarify the importance of democratic socialism in promoting an
inclusive economic growth by stating “This massive concentration of economic resources in the
hands of fewer people presents a significant threat to inclusive political and economic
systems”(Fuentes Nieva and Nicholas, 3). They argue about the importance of directing public
investment into important areas such as infrastructure and renewable energy, creating more
employment opportunities and eliminating the economic gaps. This method will be different
from standard economic models, which frequently allow for wealth concentration aggravating
inequality.
Furthermore, the authors argue that democratic socialism strives to enhance general productivity
and gives us better environment favorable to job creation by stating “the lack of domestic tax
revenues limits government investment in basic services such as education, healthcare, and
infrastructure”(Fuentes Nieva and Nicholas, 15). In this way they highlight the necessity for
public investment in sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Argument #3.Universal healthcare:

Democratic socialism advocates for universal healthcare, which ensures that all citizens have the
right to access a high-quality medical treatment. This strategy aims to lower healthcare costs,
enhance public health outcomes, and promote more equal society.
In the article titled "Politics and Health Outcomes" published in 2006, by Navarro et al. the
authors state “Our findings support the hypothesis that the political ideologies of governing
parties affect some indicators of population health” (1). Therefore, stressing the importance of
universal healthcare part of Democratic socialism thus, the authors argue that making healthcare
a basic human right can led to noticeable advances in public health and general well-being.
Universal healthcare systems are mostly based on values like equality and solidarity, with the
goal of ensuring that no one is denied vital medical services due to their financial situation.
A real-life example would be Sweden since it has a robust healthcare system that is well-known
for providing its people with high-quality medical treatment. Their system is based on
democratic socialism concept, with the goal of making healthcare a basic right to which all
people, regardless of income, have access.
Furthermore, a universal healthcare system can reduce the financial difficulty on people and
families, resulting in better preventative care and intervention. Healthcare expenses can be

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decreased by focusing on preventative measures and a better early treatment, while population
health can be improved.

Concluding Arguments: in conclusion, Democratic socialism is a better fit for the modern
economic and social situation of the United States for three reasons mentioned before, but in a
nutshell, Democratic socialism fights for universal access to critical services such as healthcare,
education, and housing, therefore eliminating income disparity and building a more equitable
society, it promotes job creation and economic growth by offering opportunities to all people and
investing in infrastructure and renewable energy. Democratic socialism also promotes Universal
Healthcare assuring that everyone has access to high-quality healthcare system, resulting in
better public health and lower financial struggles on individuals and families.

Given these benefits, embracing Democratic socialism can result in a more equal and caring
society in which opportunities are not restricted by the economic class. It presents a good picture
of a better future in which all citizens could prosper. Letting us work together to shape this
inclusive society for the future generations.

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 Works cited:
Busky, donald F. “Democratic Socialism.” Google Libros, books.google.co.cr/books?
id=3joQKjDtn4wC&printsec=copyright#v=onepage&q&f=false. Accessed 3
Aug. 2023.

fuentes, nieva. Working for the Few - Oxfamilibrary.Openrepository.Com,

oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/311312/bp-working-for-few-political-
capture-economic-inequality-200114-summ-en.pdf?sequence=2.

piketty, thomas. Dowbor, dowbor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/14Thomas-Piketty.pdf.

Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.

Vicente  , Navarro. “Politics and Health Outcomes.” Lancet (London, England), U.S.
National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16980120/.