네 아주 좋은 질문 주셨습니다. 이 네 가지 개념의 경우 다들 한 번씩 들어는 봤을테니까 알고 있다고 생각하기 쉬운데, 막상 제대로 이해하고 설명할 수 있는 사람은 별로 없을거라 생각돼요. 그런만큼 신영 학생이 대충 넘어가지 않고 제대로 공부하고자 하는 자세는 정말 칭찬해주고 싶습니다.
다만 주어진 개념을 개념 자체로 곧이 곧대로 이해하려고 들면 (사전적인 정의에 집착하면) 마치 늪에 빠지는 것처럼 더 답답한 기분이 들 수가 있어요. 일단 기본적인 개념을 접하고 난 뒤에는 각 개념들이 어떤 맥락에서 어떻게 쓰이는지를 다양하게 접해보는 것이 더욱 도움이 됩니다. 모르는 단어라도 여러 사례를 통해 어떻게 쓰이는지를 보면 뜻이 짐작가는 것처럼요.
예를 들어 아래 문제의 정답은 mercantilism 인데, 여기서의 mercantilism 은 이 개념이 가진 여러가지 측면 중에서 가장 중심이라고 할 수 있는 merchandising=trade를 통해서 이익을 얻으려는 국가 정책을 가리킵니다.
2.Bolivar was describing the effects of which of the following economic policies?
A)Feudalism B) Mercantilism C)Socialism D) Capitalism
유리한 포지션에서 무역을 해 이익을 얻기 위해서는 어떻게 해야할까요? 관세와 같은 다양한 규제를 통해 수출을 늘이고 수입을 줄이는 방법, 또는 식민지를 만들어서 본국에 필요한 자원이나 노동력을 집중적으로 수탈하는 방법 등이 있겠죠. 스페인의 식민지로서 아메리카는 본국의 이익을 위해 존재할 뿐 스스로의 성장과 발전을 도모할 수 없다는 것. 이것이 바로 볼리바가 절감하고 있는 mercantilism = imperialism 의 한계인 것입니다.
나머지 개념들에 대해서는 기본적인 설명을 아래에 덧붙입니다.
Feudalism
Feudalism was a way of organizing society in medieval times. The king owned all the land. He would give parts of the land to his nobles, like lords and barons, as a reward for their loyalty and help in battles.
In return for the land, these nobles had to promise to protect the king and provide soldiers when he needed them. These nobles, in turn, would divide their land into smaller pieces and give them to knights and other helpers. These knights would promise to protect their lords.
At the bottom of the pyramid were the peasants, who worked on the land. They would grow crops and do other tasks for the nobles. In exchange, they could live on the land and get some protection.
So, in feudalism, the economy was mostly based on land and the work people did on it. The land was given by the king to nobles, and in return, they promised to help and protect each other. The peasants worked the land in exchange for a place to live and protection.
Capitalism & Socialism
For capitalism, imagine a system where individuals and businesses own things like factories, farms, and shops. They can use these things to make products and provide services. People are free to buy and sell what they want. The government doesn't control the economy much – it mostly makes sure everyone plays fairly and enforces laws. People can compete with each other to make money, and they can keep what they earn. Capitalism encourages innovation because if someone comes up with a new idea, they can use it to make money.
Now picture a system where things like factories, farms, and shops are owned by the community or the government. The goal is to make sure everyone has access to things like healthcare, education, and jobs. People still work and earn money, but the government might make sure that the wealth is more evenly shared. Some essential things might be provided for free or at a lower cost to help everyone. Socialism aims to reduce inequalities and take care of people who might not have much.
In capitalism, individuals and businesses own and control most things, and competition drives the economy. In socialism, the community or government plays a bigger role, aiming for more equal distribution and taking care of basic needs. Both systems have their pros and cons, and different countries mix elements of both in various ways.
