Normal And Inferior Goods And Examples Economics Essay

Normal And Inferior Goods And Examples Economics Essay A microeconomic law that states that, all other factors being equal, as the price of a good or service increases, consumer demand for the good or service will decrease and vice versa.   Law Of Demand This law summarizes the effect price changes have on consumer behavior. For example, a consumer will purchase more pizzas if the price of pizza falls. The opposite is true if the price of pizza increases.   people generally buy more of a good when the price is low and less of it when the price is high. This is a general rule that applies to most goods called normal goods. As the price of a normal good increases, people buy less of it because they are usually able to switch to cheaper goods. Normal and Inferior Goods and Its Examples Normal goods can be defined as those goods for which demand increases when the income of the consumer increases and falls when income of the consumer decreases, price of the goods remaining constant. Examples of normal goods are demand of LCD and plasma television, demand for more expensive cars, branded clothes, expensive houses, diamonds etc†¦ increases when the income of the consumers increases. To the opposite side of normal goods are the inferior goods. It is defined as those goods the demand for which decreases when the income of the consumer increases. Examples of inferior goods are consumption of breads or cereals and since the income of the consumer increases he moved towards consumption of more nutritious foods and hence demand for low priced product like bread or cereal decreases. Another example can be of use of public transportation, when income is low people use more of public transportation which is not the case when their income increases. Hence from the above one can see that other things remaining constant as the income of consumer increases demand for normal goods will increase and demand for inferior goods decrease and vice versa. GIFFEN GOODS In economics, a giffen good is an inferior good with the unique characteristic that an increase in price actually increases the quantity of the good that is demanded.   This provides the unusual result of an upward sloping demand curve. This phenomenon is notable because it violates the law of demand, whereby demand should increase as price falls and decrease as price rises. For example-consumption of bread increased as its price increased.as bread is a staple food for low income consumers.A rise in its price would not stop people from buying as much as before.But poor people would now have so little extra money to spend on meat or other luxury foods that they would abandon on their demand for these and instead buy more bread to fill up their stomachs.the result was that a rise in the price of bread led to a rise in the demand for bread. This happens because of the interactions of the income and substitution effects.   SUBSTITUTION EFFECT : if the price of a good rises, consumers will buy less of that good and more of others because it is now relatively more expensive than other goods. If the price of good falls, consumers will buy more of that good and less of others. These changes in quantity demanded due to the relative change in prices are known as substitution effectof a price change. INCOME EFFECT : If the price of a good rise, the real income of consumers will fall. They will not be able to buy the same basket of goods and services as before.Consumers can react to this fall in real income in one of the two ways.if the good is a normal good,they will buy less of the good. If the good is an inferior good, they will buy more good.these changes in quantity demanded caused by a change in real income is known as income effect. For an inferior good, the substitution effect and income effect work in opposite directions.A rise in price leads to a fall in quantity demanded because the relative price of the good has risen.but it leads to a rise in quantity demanded because consumers real income have fallen. However, the substitution effect outweighs the income effect because overall it is still true for an inferior good that a rise in price leads to an overall fall in quantity demanded. A Giffen Good is a special type of inferior good. A rise in price leads to a fall in quantity demanded because of the substitution effect but a rise in quantity demanded because of the income effect.However, the income effect outweighs the substitution effect, leading to rises in quantity demanded. Depending on whether the good is inferior or normal, the income effect can be positive or negative as the price of a good increases. .The interesting thing about a giffen good, is that when the price of a giffen good rises, the income effect is greater than the substitution effect.   So if a good is inferior, the income effect will be positive and larger than the negative value from the substitution effect.   A giffen good faces an upward sloping demand curve because the income effect dominates the substitution effect, meaning that quantity demanded increases as price rises C:UsersadminDesktopassignmentWhat is a giffen good, an example with graphs_filesgiffen+good.png Type Of Good Substitution Effect Income Effect Total Effect Normal good Fall Fall Fall Inferior Good Fall Rise Fall because substitution effect > income effect Giffen Good Fall Rise Rise because substitution effect MR, then P > MC is also true.  Ã‚  A monopolist charges a higher price than would competitive producers selling in the same market.   Profit Maximization Under Monopoly Q MC ATC MR P Profit Clearly, the price elasticity of demand plays a crucial role in monopoly price setting. As long as demand is elastic, total revenue will rise when the monopoly lowers its price, but this will not be true when demand becomes inelastic. Therefore, the monopolist will expand output only in the elastic portion of its demand curve. As monopoly is a form of imperfect market organization, there is no difference between firm and industry. A monopoly firm is said to be an industry. Thus monopoly means the absence of competition. There are strong barriers to entry into the industry. As a result, seller has full control over the supply of the commodity. Features of Monopoly: 1. One seller and large number of buyers: Monopoly is a form of imperfect market structure where there is only one seller of a product. A monopoly firm may be owned by a person, a few numbers of partners or a joint stock company. The characteristic feature of single seller eliminates the distinction between the firm and the industry. A monopolist firm is itself the industry. Under monopoly there are large numbers of buyers although the seller is one. No buyers reaction can influence the price. 2. No close substitute: Under monopoly a single producer produces single commodities which have no close substitute. As the commodity in question has no close substitute, the monopolist is at liberty to change a price according to his own whimsy. Monopoly can not exist when there is competition. A firm is said, to be monopolist only when it is the single producer and supplier of the product which have no close substitute. Under monopoly the cross elasticity of demand is zero. Cross elasticity of demand shows a change in the demand for a good as a result of change in the price of another good. 3. Strong barriers to the entry into the industry exist: In a monopoly market there is strong barrier on the entry of new firms. Monopolist faces no competition. As there is one firm no other rival producers can enter the market of the same product. Since the monopolist has absolute control over the production and sale of the commodity certain economic barriers are imposed on the entry of potential rivals. 4. Nature of demand curve: In case of monopoly one firm constitutes the whole industry. The entire demand of the consumers for a product goes to the monopolist. Since the demand curve of the individual consumers lopes downward, the monopolist faces a downward sloping demand curve. A monopolist can sell more of his output only at a lower price and can reduce the sale at a high price. The downward sloping demand curve expresses that the price (AR) goes on falling ns sales are increased. In monopoly AR curve slopes downward mid MR curve lies below AR curve. Demand curve under monopoly la otherwise known as average revenue curve. 5. Homogeneous Product A monopoly firm manufactures a commodity that has no close substitute and is a homogeneous product. With the absence of availability of a substitute, the buyer is bound to purchase what is available at the tagged price. For instance: there is no substitute for railways as the bulk carrier. Thus, to be the sole seller, in the monopolistic setup, a unique product must be produced 6. Price Discrimination Price discrimination can be defined as the practice by a seller of charging different prices from different buyers for the same good or service. A monopolist has the leverage to carry out price discrimination as he is the market and acts as per his suitability. 7. Price Elasticity With regards to the demand of the product or service offered by the monopolizing company or individual, the price elasticity to absolute value ratio is dictated by price increase and market demand. It is not uncommon to see surplus and/or a loss categorized as deadweight within a monopoly. The latter refers to gain that evades both, the consumer and the monopolist. Advantages of monopoly Monopoly avoids duplication and hence wastage of resources. A monopoly enjoys economics of scale as it is the only supplier of product or service in the market. The benefits can be passed on to the consumers. Due to the fact that monopolies make lot of profits, it can be used for research and development and to maintain their status as a monopoly. Monopolies may use price discrimination which benefits the economically weaker sections of the society. For example, Indian railways provide discounts to students travelling through its network. Monopolies can afford to invest in latest technology and machinery in order to be efficient and to avoid competition. Disadvantages of monopoly   Poor level of service. No consumer sovereignty. Consumers may be charged high prices for low quality of goods and services. Lack of competition may lead to low quality and out dated goods and services. MONOPOLIST EQUILIBRIUM WITH ZERO MARGINAL COST   Under certain exceptional cases, the cost of additional units of output, i.e., marginal cost (MC) may be equal to zero. With constant value zero of marginal cost, the value of average cost is also constant and is equal to zero. With zero cost of production, the monopolist has only to decide at which output, the total revenue will be maximum. And total revenue is maximum, at the output level at which marginal revenue is equal to zero. Further, with zero marginal cost, the condition of profit maximization, i.e., the equality of marginal cost (MC) and marginal revenue (MR) can be achieved, where the latter is also equal to zero.   Fig.   shows the equilibrium of the monopolist, where marginal cost is equal to zero. E is the point of monopolist equilibrium, where MC cuts MR from below. The equilibrium price and the equilibrium quantity at this equilibrium are OP and OQ respectively. Here, total revenue and hence total profits (area OPBE in   fig. ) of the monopolist are maximum. Beyond OQ level of output, MR becomes negative and total revenue starts declining. As explained in Chapter 16 on Market Structure, under heading Relation among AR, MR and Price Elasticity of Demand, Page 485 elasticity of demand on the AR curve corresponding to zero marginal revenue is equal to one. Therefore, with zero cost of production, monopolist equilibrium will be established at a level, where elasticity of demand is unitary. Description: Zero Cost of Production.JPG  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fig. : Monopolist Equilibrium with Zero Cost of Production It is important to note that the monopolist will never produce the output at any level, where MR is negative. If he does so, his total revenue will fall as output increases. He can increase total revenue by reducing the output. In other words, the monopolist can earn larger profits by restricting the output. Further, since MC cannot be negative, equality of MC and MR (equilibrium condition) cannot be achieved, where MR is negative. We know from the relationship among average revenue (AR), marginal revenue (MR) and elasticity of demand7 that when marginal revenue is negative, elasticity of demand is less than one. Therefore, no rational monopolist will produce on that portion of the demand curve, where MR is negative, i.e., the elasticity of demand is less than one? That is why; no monopolist ever operates on the inelastic portion of the average revenue curve or the demand curve. With the positive marginal costs (which is most usually the case), the monopolist fixes his level of output for which MR is also positive, i.e., total revenue rises with increase in the level of output. In other words, the equilibrium will always lie, where elasticity of demand is greater than one. In   fig. , if the price is fixed at point B (middle point of the demand curve), where the elasticity of demand is equal to one, the MC (whether straight line or U-shaped) curve will pass through the MR curve at zero point. Here, both the MC and the MR are zero. It is a rare possibility. Further, below the middle point B of the demand curve, elasticity of demand is less than one. If the price is fixed in this inelastic portion of the demand curve, both the MC and the MR assume negative values, as the point of intersection between them is below point E on the MR curve in   fig. . However, MC can never be negative. Given positive costs, MC curve must cut the MR curve from below at a point, where both the MC and the MR are positive. The equilibrium in this case will be established at a point above E on the MR curve in the figure and the price will be fixed in the elastic portion of the demand curve, i.e., above the middle point of the AR curve in   fig. (source: transtutors.com) Q3)World Economic Outlook The global recovery is threatened by intensifying strains in the euro area and fragilities elsewhere. Financial conditions have deteriorated, growth prospects have dimmed, and downside risks have escalated. Global output is projected to expand by 3 ¼ percent in 2012 (Table 1  and  Figure 1)-a downward revision of about  ¾ percentage point relative to the  September 2011 World Economic Outlook (WEO). This is largely because the euro area economy is now expected to go into a mild recession in 2012 as a result of the rise in sovereign yields, the effects of bank deleveraging on the real economy, and the impact of additional fiscal consolidation. Growth in emerging and developing economies is also expected to slow because of the worsening external environment and a weakening of internal demand. The most immediate policy challenge is to restore confidence and put an end to the crisis in the euro area by supporting growth, while sustaining adjustment, containing deleveraging, and providing more liquidity and monetary accommodation. In other major advanced economies, the key policy requirements are to address medium-term fiscal imbalances and to repair and reform financial systems, while sustaining the recovery. In emerging and developing economies, near-term policy should focus on responding to moderating domestic growth and to slowing external demand from advanced economies. Financial risks escalate, global growth decelerates Global growth prospects dimmed and risks sharply escalated during the fourth quarter of 2011, as the euro area crisis entered a perilous new phase. Activity remained relatively robust throughout the third quarter, with global GDP expanding at an annualized rate of 3 ½ percent-only slightly worse than forecast in the  September 2011 WEO. Growth in the advanced economies surprised on the upside, as consumers in the United States unexpectedly lowered their saving rates and business fixed investment stayed strong. The bounce back from the supply-chain disruptions caused by the March 2011 Japanese earthquake was also stronger than anticipated. Additionally, stabilizing oil prices helped support consumption. These developments, however, are not expected to sustain significant momentum going forward. By contrast, growth in emerging and developing economies slowed more than forecast, possibly due to a greater-than-expected effect of macroeconomic policy tightening or weaker underlying growth. Description: Figure 1 Table 1. Overview of the  World Economic Outlook  Projections (Percent change unless noted otherwise) Year over Year Projections Difference fromSeptember 2011 WEOProjections Q4 over Q4 Estimates Projections 2010 2011 2012 2013 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013 World Output  1 5.2 3.8 3.3 3.9 -0.7 -0.6 3.3 3.4 4.0 Advanced Economies 3.2 1.6 1.2 1.9 -0.7 -0.5 1.3 1.3 2.1 United States 3.0 1.8 1.8 2.2 0.0 -0.3 1.8 1.5 2.4 Euro Area 1.9 1.6 -0.5 0.8 -1.6 -0.7 0.8 -0.2 1.2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Germany 3.6 3.0 0.3 1.5 -1.0 0.0 1.8 0.7 1.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France 1.4 1.6 0.2 1.0 -1.2 -0.9 0.9 0.5 1.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Italy 1.5 0.4 -2.2 -0.6 -2.5 -1.1 -0.1 -2.7 0.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spain -0.1 0.7 -1.7 -0.3 -2.8 -2.1 0.2 -2.1 0.6 Japan 4.4 -0.9 1.7 1.6 -0.6 -0.4 -0.9 1.9 1.5 United Kingdom 2.1 0.9 0.6 2.0 -1.0 -0.4 0.8 1.0 2.4 Canada 3.2 2.3 1.7 2.0 -0.2 -0.5 2.1 1.7 2.0 Other Advanced Economies  2 5.8 3.3 2.6 3.4 -1.1 -0.3 2.9 3.2 3.5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newly Industrialized Asian Economies 8.4 4.2 3.3 4.1 -1.2 -0.3 3.8 4.3 3.8 Emerging and Developing Economies  3 7.3 6.2 5.4 5.9 -0.7 -0.6 5.9 6.0 6.3 Central and Eastern Europe 4.5 5.1 1.1 2.4 -1.6 -1.1 3.4 1.4 3.0 Commonwealth of Independent States 4.6 4.5 3.7 3.8 -0.7 -0.6 3.2 3.5 3.7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Russia 4.0 4.1 3.3 3.5 -0.8 -0.5 3.5 2.8 4.0   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Excluding Russia 6.0 5.5 4.4 4.7 -0.7 -0.4 . . . . . . . . . Developing Asia 9.5 7.9 7.3 7.8 -0.7 -0.6 7.4 7.9 7.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China 10.4 9.2 8.2 8.8 -0.8 -0.7 8.7 8.5 8.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  India 9.9 7.4 7.0 7.3 -0.5 -0.8 6.7 6.9 7.2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ASEAN-5  4 6.9 4.8 5.2 5.6 -0.4 -0.2 3.7 7.4 5.0 Latin America and the Caribbean 6.1 4.6 3.6 3.9 -0.4 -0.2 3.9 3.3 5.0   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brazil 7.5 2.9 3.0 4.0 -0.6 -0.2 2.1 3.8 4.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexico 5.4 4.1 3.5 3.5 -0.1 -0.2 4.1 3.1 3.6 Middle East and North Africa (MENA)  5 4.3 3.1 3.2 3.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sub-Saharan Africa 5.3 4.9 5.5 5.3 -0.3 -0.2 . . . . . . . . .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  South Africa 2.9 3.1 2.5 3.4 -1.1 -0.6 2.4 3.0 3.7 Memorandum European Union 2.0 1.6 -0.1 1.2 -1.5 -0.7 0.8 0.3 1.7 World Growth Based on Market Exchange Rates 4.1 2.8 2.5 3.2 -0.7 -0.4 . . . . . . . . . World Trade Volume (goods and services) 12.7 6.9 3.8 5.4 -2.0 -1.0 . . . . . . . . . Imports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advanced Economies 11.5 4.8 2.0 3.9 -2.0 -0.8 . . . . . . . . .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emerging and Developing Economies 15.0 11.3 7.1 7.7 -1.0 -1.0 . . . . . . . . . Exports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advanced Economies 12.2 5.5 2.4 4.7 -2.8 -0.8 . . . . . . . . .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emerging and Developing Economies 13.8 9.0 6.1 7.0 -1.7 -1.6 . . . . . . . . . Commodity Prices (U.S. dollars) Oil  6 27.9 31.9 -4.9 -3.6 -1.8 -3.1 . . . . . . . . . Nonfuel (average based on world commodity export weights) 26.3 17.7 -14.0 -1.7 -9.3 2.2 . . . . . . . . . Consumer Prices Advanced Economies 1.6 2.7 1.6 1.3 0.2 -0.1 2.9 1.2 1.3 Emerging and Developing Economies  3 6.1 7.2 6.2 5.5 0.3 0.4 6.5 5.6 4.8 London Interbank Offered Rate (percent)  7 On U.S. Dollar Deposits 0.5 0.5 0.9 0.9 0.4 0.3 . . . . . . . . . On Euro Deposits 0.8 1.4 1.1 1.2 -0.1 -0.4 . . . . . . . . . On Japanese Yen Deposits 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.0 . . . . . . . .   (Source www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2012/update/01/

a day in my life :: essays research papers

The Day My Life Changed I stepped through the door to my grandmother and grandfather's home without even aknock. My grandpa looked up from the television he was watching, from his cozy comer chair.He had a head of snowy white hair gleaming in the room. Over his broad body, hung a navy bluedress shirt and a fuzzy cardigan sweater. He wore slacks, held up awkwardly by a belt, allowinghis small potbelly to hang over it. His face showed the years of worry and stress, and his whitebushy eyebrows and growing second chin showed his old age. His smile greeted me. As I drewclose to him, his aging arms reached out and wrapped around my body and pulled me into a warmloving hug. As he released me from the hug, I said, "Grandpa, I have some news I want you tohear" as I plopped down in the chair beside him. "I wanted to let you know that I am getting married," I told him.The room was left in a dead silence, frozen for a brief period of time, as we recovered from the intensity of the news I had brought him. Reaching for the remote to turn off the television, my grandfather looked at me. Before he could say a word, the excitement of an unseen grandmother came from the kitchen.Both our eyes looked toward the cheerful light and the sounds of my grandmother's excitemen tAs the excitement faded away, his eyes turned toward mine. Awaiting his comments, my eyes were open wide. Excitement had filled my body, because of the news I had just brought him."Wonderful, go ahead and tell me all about it," he exclaimed.Well, I woke up this morning just as I always do, but this time it was to the ringing of the phone. I reached for the phone and said "Hello," and on the other end was my boyfriend. He said he needed to see me as soon as possible, so I said "OK," and went to meet him. When I arrived at his house, he met me at the door and asked me to come in and have a seat on the couch, I was a little worried at this time. I sit down on the couch and he kneeled down in front of me on one knee, I just looked at him knowing now, what he was up to. This is what he said, "I know wehave been through a lot here lately, but I also kn ow that we can go through a lot more as long as

Due Dates and Instructions for Course Assignments Essay

JAN 12 AUTOBIOGRAPHY- You are required to post this assignment in the Autobiography section giving us some background about yourself, where you grew up, the family you grew up in, where you live, interests and hobbies, and anything else you would like us to know about you, your chosen major, your goals, etc. If you have any digital photo(s) of yourself you may feel free to attach it as well. Please include a few thoughts about why you are taking this course, what you hope to learn, and how you think you can apply it to your life. This assignment is graded on your ability to accurately present yourself to the rest of the class and how well you convey your initial thoughts about the study of sociology and this course. Please keep in mind that this assignment is worth an entire letter grade. It is worth the same amount of points as your mid-term paper! So, please put the appropriate time and thought into it. It should be a bare minimum of 350 words. It needs to be typed directly into th e Discussions section (or copied and pasted) but links to documents are not allowed. Other students and I should be able to read your post without opening an attachment. JAN 19-APR 20 WEEKLY CHAPTER QUIZZES- There will be one exam for each chapter for a total of 24 exams. Each exam will have 20 questions or less with an assigned point value for each question totaling 20 points. Due dates for each chapter quiz can be found in course syllabus and on the course calendar. There will usually be 2 chapter quizzes per week. WEEKLY CHAPTER DISCUSSION POSTINGS- There will be a discussion posting for each chapter, 24 total. Some weeks will cover only one chapter but most will cover two chapters. Due dates for each chapter discussion posting can be found in the course syllabus and in the course calendar. Each chapter discussion posting will be worth a maximum of 5 points (3 for original post  and 2 for response post). Full credit of 120 points will be awarded based on the student’s responses to instructor questions (3 or more) and responses to classmates’ postings (1 or more) for each chapter’s discussion. Your answers must reflect that you have read the corresponding chapters. In order for other students to have adequate opportunity to respond to your posts, your original posting must be posted prior to 9:00 pm on the due date. Your response posts can be posted until the close of the discussion at 11:59 pm. Original postings posted after 9:00 pm will be docked 1 pt. You will have one week to complete the discussion postings. Late postings will not be accepted. MAR 2 CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL PROBLEM REPORT The purpose of this assignment is to help you define and understand what constitutes a social problem. You will research a social problem that you consider important so that you can develop a sociological perspective of the issues facing the world that we live in. You can choose a problem in your local community, in the nation, or a more global issue that affects everyone. As you perform your research for this assignment please make sure that you allow enough time and sources to fully understand what you are writing about before you start. You will write critically about the problem that you select which requires a careful evaluation of the questions to be answered as they relate to the problem. Using more than one research source will enhance your sociological perspective of the problem. This will also make you better able to look at how the problem originated and examine what can be done about it. The final question requires that you attempt to come up with solutions to the problem based on what you have learned through your research. Resources such as daily newspapers, weekly news magazines, or regularly published journals will help you to research your social problem. Be sure that you do not simply summarize an article without a critical evaluation of what was written. In your paper you will address the following questions: 1.Why is this problem considered a social problem? 2.When, how, and where did the problem begin? 3.What other social problems are related to this problem? 4.What groups are affected by the problem? 5.Who is hurt by it? 6.Who benefits (or stands to gain) from the problem? 7.How does it affect you personally? 8.What can be done and by whom, to alleviate the problem? Your report should be clear, brief, and concise, with a minimum of 2 pages and a maximum of 3 pages. Use 12 point font and double space this assignment. You can list the questions and answer them individually or you may write the report in a narrative form. You are required to find and use a minimum of 2 scholarly references (a scholarly reference does NOT include newspapers, magazines, etc. A scholarly reference is bona fide research from a credible source, ie., Pub Med., published research from an accredited University, etc.) for this assignment and paper should be written in APA format. A grading rubric for this assignment is included in the assignment dropbox. The assignment should be submitted in the course assignment dropbox prior to the final due date. APR 28 FINAL ASSIGNMENT- This assignment is designed to effectively assess what the student has learned in the course. Students will demonstrate their comprehension of course material by applying sociological concepts, terminologies, and perspectives to any type of contemporary topic or cultural dimension. The topic for this sociological perspective may come from a book, a periodical article, a television program, movie, news program, cultural event, or observation. The paper should be well thought out and the application of sociological concepts, terminologies and perspectives to the chosen topic should be accurate and well defined. Choose a topic that allows you to apply as many sociological terms and concepts as possible. This assignment is expected to be a minimum of 3 pages with a maximum of 4 pages. Use 12 point font and double spacing for this assignment. At least one scholarly reference should be cited in order to give depth and substance to this assignment. Paper should be written in APA style. Grading will be based on your ability to clearly display in writing your understanding of the basic concepts of sociology and your ability to formulate and exhibit a societal perspective that utilizes the sociological imagination. A grading rubric for this assignment is available in the  assignment dropbox. The assignment should be submitted in the course assignment dropbox prior to the final due date.

Gay Marriage Should Be Legal - 989 Words

As an enthusiastic member of the LGBT community, I believe that gay marriage should be legalized in all states. Denmark was the first country to grant legal domestic partnership of gay couples in the late 1980s. Shortly after this decision in Denmark, other European countries began to do the same. When I was younger I lived in the Netherlands for about two years, and in 2001 it became the first country to allow same-sex marriage. Currently, fifteen countries have legally recognized same-sex marriage. In the United States, the fourteenth state has just legalized same sex marriage. Tennessee, the state I live in currently, is not one of them. Gay marriage should be legalized in all states and countries because the definition of marriage is consistently changing and denies fundamental human rights; it has been held off for too long. There are several reasons why I feel strongly about homosexuals having the right to be legally married. It is unfair to couples of the same-sex to lose rights based on sexuality. The Human Rights Campaign strives to provide equality for the LGBT community. I have learned that â€Å"there are 1,138 benefits, rights and protections provided on the basis of marital status in Federal law† (â€Å"Overview of Federal Rights†). It was through HRC that I also learned couples could be denied rights such as hospital visitation, social security benefits, access to nursing homes, and family health insurance. They are denied these rights because they are not married, butShow MoreRelatedGay Marriage Should Be Legal1205 Words   |  5 PagesHoward Sociology 1301-93431 Gay Marriage Getting married is something that most people do when they find love, which it is an important event in their life. The GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) community now get the legal right of sam e-sex marriage, which they have fought for throughout the years; on the other hand, some opponents of same-sex marriage have called for a constitutional change towards it. Although there were some countries that allowed gay marriage before the United StatesRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1159 Words   |  5 PagesAmendment, which puts a ban on gay marriage. This amendment entitles to equal rights to the gay community, ending toleration of discrimination in jobs, rights protecting gays from hate crimes,rights allowing advancement in government. However, the concept of gay marriage is still not considered a right the American people should extend to homosexuals. II. The vast majority of opponents believe marriage should be between one woman and one man, meaning marriage should be between members of the oppositeRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1574 Words   |  7 Pagesequal rights. Gays and lesbians are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbian couples are denied the right to marry even if they are outstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop, because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. Marriage is about love andRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1564 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is marriage? Recently, people argue with respect to the definition of marriage. What happened to marriage? To get married is a very important event for almost everyone. Especially for women, marriage and giv ing a birth could be the two biggest events of their lives. Many people believe that getting married to the one whom he or she loves is natural. However, what do you think if you cannot get married to him or her because it is socially unacceptable? 100 years ago different colored peopleRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal?778 Words   |  3 PagesShould Gay Marriage Be Legal? â€Å"†¦I now pronounce you husband and wife†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One would normally hear this when attending a wedding. In tradition marriage has been between one male and one female who love each other. But how would one feel if they heard â€Å"I now pronounce you groom and groom† or how about â€Å"†¦bride and bride...†? In the last 50 years the number of same-sex couples has increased. The on-going argument between the government and the people is â€Å"Should gay marriage be legal?† Although some sayRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1126 Words   |  5 PagesJune 26, 2015 for gay marriage to be legal in all fifty states, thirty seven out of the fifty and Washington D.C already legalized gay marriage. Many support gay marriage and many do not, with widespread values and reasons for and against it. Due to religion and rights people across the nation have differing views and opinions of it.In a five to four vote in the Supreme Court gay marriage becam e legalized in all fifty states. Shortly after that a few marriage officiators and marriage licenses peopleRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1179 Words   |  5 PagesGAY MARRIAGES Some states such as Iowa legalized gay marriage through the action of judicial interpretation based on the state’s constitutional stipulations while other states such as Vermont legalized gay marriage through legislation initiatives. These cases demonstrate the government is the sole body that can dictate the validity of whatever is to be regarded as a marriage, and in this case gay marriage. The power to validate marriage is still observed among the private citizens, religious institutionsRead MoreThe Gay Marriage Should Be Legal947 Words   |  4 PagesDefending Gay Marriage During the last few years, homosexuality has become an important issue for debate. Moreover, homosexuals have taken their case further by claiming their right to marry. Same-sex marriage, usually known as â€Å"gay marriage†, is the marriage between two people from the same biological sex (Doskow1). Since 2000, eleven countries have approved the legalization of gay marriage worldwide: Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, ArgentinaRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1480 Words   |  6 PagesNew World Dictionary defines the word married as being husband and wife, yet there are millions of gay activists who are fighting for a new meaning. They believe marriage is more than a piece of paper and a set of rings. The hope is that marriage could be defined as a â€Å"public recognition of a private commitment† or â€Å"emotional, financial, and psychological bond† between two people (Sullivan 53). Gay activists belie ve that taking away the ability to have a publicly recognized relationship or an acceptedRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1351 Words   |  6 Pageshappened for United States, gay marriage became legal in all 50 states. In most states it already was but the remaining 13 became legal this year. There are many concerns regarding gay marriage, and the effects of them involve many legislative, cultural, religious and family issues. Gay marriage is controversial because a lot of people do not approve of it, they think it is immoral, unnatural, and not what the traditional concept of â€Å"marriage† really means. Opponents of gay marriage say it is only meant