Essays are exercises in persuasive writing. In every academic and professional setting you may find yourself in, you will be expected to write (and speak) persuasively. Writing (and speaking) persuasively is a skill that you can develop and master. To master this skill, one must become adept at: stating clearly what position they want their reader (or listener) to adopt; using evidence confidently and convincingly to support that position; and drawing compelling conclusions from your evidence.
Your Essay: Final Assignment in this course is expected to address the following prompt:
The two chief values in modern political and economic thought are liberty and equality.
In general, one modern narrative places the value of individual liberty most highly, and argues that individual liberty is best promoted through some form of private property, and best protected through a government of limited and defined powers. The other modern narrative places the value of equality most highly and argues that equality is best promoted through the limitation or abolition of private property, and best established through a government possessing extensive and centralized powers. But both modern narratives recognize that liberty and equality will never be perfectly balanced; one value will always be dominant over the other.
Write an essay in which you explain why either liberty or equality should be the dominant value in modern politics. Do we better secure both values of liberty and equality by prioritizing liberty, or by prioritizing equality? What dangers might we foresee if we prioritize the wrong value?
Defend your response by drawing from our assigned primary and secondary sources, and by evaluating these arguments in light of Christian scripture and teaching.
