Rebekah Tate (Final)

The Price of Capitalism

Since the dawn of Capitalism in the United States in 1801 pollution has been on the rise.
With the invention of the steam engine and other technological advances, pollution and
protecting the environment soon became a noteworthy topic in the Progressive Era. There were

Comment [1]: Powerful opening!!!

people who were suddenly very concerned about the environment. They had a right to be too.
The amount of unusable waste skyrocketed in the Industrial revolution, and has increased
steadily since then. Time jump to 2008, that year we produced 220 million tons of solid waste,
and 55% of it was placed in landfills. Of that percentage in landfills, 78% of that could have been
recycled and reused. Therefore, people and businesses are using even more natural resources
than is ultimately necessary. The way our government dictates laws for businesses encourages
CEOs and company owners to use natural resources and exploit the environment. Even though
there is nothing to represent the government or law enforcement, we are going to be interpreting
scenarios the Lorax and the Once-ler run into as if they were in the United States.
In the United States of America, our government is based on Capitalism. Which in a
general summation is an economic system based on free sales and privately owned businesses
or corporations. This means every man fends for himself when it comes to jobs and earning and
making money. As a country, we rely on entrepreneurs to make our economy thrive. Without
these innovative thinkers like the Once-ler, the U.S economy would be in an even bigger spiral
of doom than it has already taken. However, But many entrepreneurs start their businesses in
hopes to make it rich on an item or enterprise, but when companies expand, the more likely they
are to not be environmentally conscious. This is later proved in the book when the Once-ler is
making a call to his family to help him build, and maintain the business when it expands.This is
one of the likely causes of why companies think it is okay to exploit the environment. Their
actions were fueled by greed.

Comment [2]: echoed

CEOs are not the only ones to blame in the environments trite with capitalism. The

Comment [3]: However,

consumer is at blame as well. Capitalism can only succeed if it has a large consumer to milk the
benefits of privatized business. What one needs you need is buyers, like the nameless
character who buys the first thneed off or the Once-ler. Society is so transfixed on having
material goods that they will buy even the most pointless things. They also do not recycle and
reuse products that are in the perfect conditions to do so. ThereIm sure there were thneeds that
someone didnt want anymore; where did they go? Landfills, thatss where they go. I had never
heard a mention of a thneed recycling program, or nary a pinterest post about the subject in

Comment [4]: Remember for this type of

formal paper, avoid 1st and 2nd person. No
"you"s or "I"s

relations to a craft to reuse the poor, useless, marketed useful item.

In expansion on American Capitalism, the government encourages the use of the
continent's natural resources. There is no taxation of penalty for using, or misusing the
resources the earth has developed. People are encouraged by the modern american dream to
get rich quick and not to let anything get in the way of it. Not even the fate of the planet seems
to scathe them. Without a nary of a thought, he uses irresponsible methods when conducting

Comment [5]: who?

their business. Like how the Once-ler never even thought to plant more Truffula trees as he

Comment [6]: This is similar to

Comment [7]: thinks

went and chopped them down. Or later when his business grew, his machinery waste was
dumped into the pond where the humming fish hummed. This destroyed the habitat of not only

Comment [8]: present tense

the creatures that felt the direct connection to the polluted area, but also the creatures that
relied on that area to produce an indigenous fruit it ate like the barbaloots. Or flew through the
air freely until the carbon emissions from the factory like the Swami Swans. When these exploits
are confronted by exponential do-gooders like the Lorax, they resort to retorts like this one the
Once-ler usesd, And then I got mad. I got terribly mad. I yelled at the Lorax, Now listen here,
Dad! All you do is yap-yap and say Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad!Well I have my rights sir, and Im telling
you I intend on doing just what I do! And, for your information, you Lorax, Im figgering on
biggering and BIGGERING and BIGGERING and BIGGERING, and turning more Truffula

Comment [9]: present tense

Trees in to Thneeds which EVERYONE EVERYONE needs! (49) They intend to just keep on
doing what they are doing, and they realize a little too late that the resources they are using, will
run out in one smack of an axe if they are not careful.
The worst part about this grand scheme, nobody gets in trouble for their crimes against
the environment. The Once-ler, though guilty, is unscathed by the government despite all of the
horrible things he doesdid. The government gives all of the perks of being a business owner, but
doesnt harm an owner when they are using these benefits irresponsibly. Even though the
Once-ler is miserable, and filled with guilt with what he did. There was no legal action or
punishment for what he did. This is then showing others that there are no consequences for
their actions. Then much like a young child, they will keep doing what they are doing wrong until
you reprimand them for their actions.
On a recap, this paper has discussed Capitalisms crimes against the environment
connecting to the children's tale, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. The points we have touched on are

Comment [10]: smooth this out

Comment [11]: no 1st person

the encouragement of business growth, the effect of the consumer, the use of natural resources
and the lack of consequences given. Theses corporations that think they have no
consequences to what they are doing, think again. The government may not be involved, but
ultimately, you will pay for the exploit you have committed, much like the Once-ler.

Comment [12]: you

Comment [13]: Rebekah, you writing voice is
a force to be reckoned with. Your argument is
passionate and insightful!!! Your thesis is just a
tinge off, and as a result, so was the rest of your
paper. Your focus became more about
capitalism and less about literary analysis. This
kind of paper asks you to put the text at the
center of your paper and then analyze what the
author is doing with it.
Regardless, you have demonstrated you are
skilled at making a point and fully supporting.
I'm looking forward to reading whatever else
you'll write this year!!