The Instigator
bluecat0
Con (against)
Losing
3 Points
The Contender
Cooperman88
Pro (for)
Winning
36 Points

Jobs should be mandatory

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Started: 2/29/2008 Category: Miscellaneous
Updated: 6 months ago Status: Voting Period
Viewed: 249 times Debate No: 3001
Debate Rounds (3)
Comments (9)
Votes (13)

 

bluecat0

Con

I believe that it shouldn't be legal for a citizen to have to get a job. People have their own opinions and they should not be forced to do what they are against. If they have a reason or no reason at all it would still not be fair to them if they were forced.
Cooperman88

Pro

First off, I would like the voters to vote on who makes the best arguments. I know many people say this, but it needs to be said. That being said, I will now proceed to my argumentation.

My first argument is about capitalism. I know, that big hairy monster that no one says they like, but everyone is secretly in bed with. Well capitalism, which is the economic principle guiding America, is based off of the idea of people making money, and then spending it in other areas. Without people earning money, they can't put money back into the economy. So logically, people without jobs, are not putting money back into the economy. Now, as many people may realize by now, America is in a recession. Inflation is rising, and wages aren't. This means, that people are making the same amount of money, but the prices for everything is rising. So people can't buy as much. Possibly the best way of solving this is to have raises rise with inflation. But that will never happen. The second best way to solve this is have more money flood the market. Because of supply and demand, the more people buy, the less things cost. So if everyone has a job, then more money is being spent, which means that demand is high, which means that costs decline, and the recession is stopped. That is one reason why everyone should have a job.

The second reason that everyone should have a job, is because that is what our settlers wanted. When the Mayflower landed, one of the rules was that everyone works, and everyone eats. If a person doesn't work, then a person doesn't eat. When we look at basic human instinct, it is one of providance. Humankind has the basic instinct of providing for oneself. The way we used to do that, was hunting and gathering. Now, the way we do it is making money at a job, and buying the food. If a person isn't working, then they are denying their very basic instinct of providing for themself. It is human nature to do so.

The third reason that everyone should have a job, is because that it is socially acceptable to do so. People without a job are seen as lazy, helpless, and a blite on society. When people are seen as lazy and useless, this leads to discrimination of that person. I know this seems farfetched and crazy, but when was the last time you had someone ask you for some change so they can buy some food. Chances are, if you didn't give them any, it's because you thought they were going to go buy drugs or alcohol. You see this person as not someone who is down on their luck, but as a lazy person who needs to get a job and get their life back on track. This is dehumanization at it's best/worst. Dehumanization isn't limited to the jews in nazi germany, or the blacks in jim crow south. It is found everywhere from the workplaces to schools, to your very homes. By making it mandatory for everyone to have a job, this eliminates the dehumanization of those that don't have one. Now granted, dehumanization will still happen, but by taking a step and eliminating it in one instance, is always going to better than not trying to stop it.

I thank my opponent for this topic, and wish you luck in the future rounds.
Debate Round No. 1
bluecat0

Con

bluecat0 forfeited this round.
Cooperman88

Pro

This is too bad, I was hoping we could continue this debate. It was going to be fun. Well, maybe he will debate next round.
Debate Round No. 2
bluecat0

Con

bluecat0 forfeited this round.
Cooperman88

Pro

Cooperman88 forfeited this round.
Debate Round No. 3
9 comments have been posted on this debate. Showing 1 through 9 records.
Posted by DucoNihilum 6 months ago
DucoNihilum
I find it sicking that one would use capitalism in support of mandatory work. It's absolutely contradictory to the very ideas of capitalism.
Posted by Derek.Gunn 6 months ago
Derek.Gunn
If it's mandatory to have a job, would we be allowed to go on holiday?

I would have thought being able to choose how to live one's life would be exactly what freedom is.
I agree having a job is a very good idea, but that's not what the debate is about.

Vote Con!
Posted by sadolite 6 months ago
sadolite
Amen!! (25 characters) Amen!!
Posted by HandsOff 6 months ago
HandsOff
There are people who are truly limited from getting back to work. They are very small minority of the unemployed. Fortunately reality is the one thing that gets people off their butts. When reality is not allowed to take its course, because social services are there to thwart natural consiquences, people are not faced with the urgency to become self-reliant.
Posted by jinzy 6 months ago
jinzy
Ideally everyone would be employed, but that isn't reality. There are areas where the jobs are severely limited and having a good education can work against you. I doubt if Micky D's is gonna hire a Ph.D to flip hamburgers. Also there are those who would gladly work but through sickness or disability are unable to do so. There are also issues a adequate child care, especially if your the parent of a disabled child. All these things need to be taken into consideration when making broad statements about working and work ethics.
Posted by sadolite 6 months ago
sadolite
Demand is high so things cost less? UMM, I hink someone has the supply and demand thing backwards.
Posted by HandsOff 6 months ago
HandsOff
People should be left to make that decision on their own, but I believe that, unless they have some money saved up or a relative to support them, they should starve to death as a consiquence.
Posted by Daxitarian 6 months ago
Daxitarian
Actually it does exist, or at least did, in communist cuba. The logic is that by not working, you are not adding to the common good. And since the objective of communism is the "common good" you are forced to work. There was a sub-culture of Cuban type hippies in Cuba before Castro. Ironically, their hippy drum circles were crushed by the very same ideology they espoused.
Posted by nitrogen85 6 months ago
nitrogen85
Who ever said they have to have a job? No one is forcing anyone to get a job. Why debate something that dosn't exist?
13 votes have been cast for this debate.
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