RECURRING THEMES
THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF
MAN
Political, Social, and Economic Issues
INTRODUCTION
No matter the period, era, century or decade –
mankind has always had to face the realities of
political, social, and economic issues.
 Every event in history will always have a
mixture of these three issues. While one may be
more prevalent of others, they will all exist.
 Political thought, changing economies, and
personal values have changed over time.
 While one era may experience major political
issues, another era may have just minor political
problems.
 As with time, issues tend to flux and change.

RATIONALE
Why do we have these recurring issues
throughout history?
 It may seem simple, but political thought, social
ideals, and economic beliefs can range greatly in
how we interpret just one term.
 For example, the word “secured” has 4 different
meanings in the military.

Air Force – to inquire about a property and buy it.
 Navy – to close all building doors and windows and
lock them.
 Army – to surround the building and allow nobody to
enter.
 Marine Corps – to enter the building and eliminate
all threats by use of force.

POLITICAL (POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY)
Political philosophy is the study of such topics
as personal freedom, civil liberties, property
rights, law and justice, and the enforcement of a legal
code by an authority or government.
 What rights and freedoms it should protect and why,
 What form it should take and why,
 What the law is, and
 What duties citizens owe to a legitimate government?
 In contrast with Political Science – political science
is the study of the relationship between government
and its people whether this be in theory or practice.

THE RELATIONSHIP –
(POLITICS & ECONOMICS)

Political Issues can be directly related to
Economics—
The old saying goes, “where there’s government,
there money tends to follow it.”
 The classic dilemma is that what type of government
to have AND what type of market should the
economy be.


See “Two Cows” Handout
ECONOMIC ISSUES
Economics is the production, exchanging,
consumption, saving and/or investing of goods
and services.
 However, with the inequality distribution of
wealth in the world, we are forced to make
decisions based on or wants and needs while
utilizing the resources we have on hand.

Economists (one who study economic issues) claim
today the middle class is shrinking along with the
working class; moreover, this declining population is
creating a “two-tier” society.
 What is this creating is a widening between the
“haves” (the rich) and the “have nots” (the poor).

THE RELATIONSHIP –
(ECONOMICS & SOCIAL)

Despite government trying to provide equality to
its people, economics can create an inequality
among it’s citizens.
For example, some believe that money creates
mobility on the social ladder of status.
 Thus, stereotypes and biases are created among
citizens on certain issues.

SOCIAL ISSUES

Social issues are matters which directly or
indirectly affect a person, group, or culture of a
society and are considered to be problems or
controversies related to moral values.

Currently, a moral value that is subject to debate today is
if abortion is a “privacy right to choice” or if it is “murder.”
POLITICAL
ECONOMIC
From this point on, always keep in mind for future lessons how
Unit topics and Chapters in the book address the Political, Social,
and Economic aspects of History (i.e. The French Revolution).
EXAMPLE –



The American Revolution was about political,
economic, and social issues.
In groups, using the pie chart as a diagram, list
three issues for each (political, social, and
economic) in how the American Colonist
struggled with England and King George.
Looking Ahead To Tomorrow – Using the
model of political, social, and economic
issues rationalize the Roman Empire and its
decline.