There are many similarities between readings 4.1 and 4.2. The workers vs capitalists dynamic are essential to a running and established economy. Both authors made crucial statements about the value of a worker and its dependency on an employer. The first reading “Wealth and Want in the United States” speaks about the unique difference between the “Owning class” and “Employee class”. The owning class lives off investments “stocks, bonds, rents” while the employee class “spend their lives toiling in factories or offices (and) retire with relatively little if any funds”. The second reading “Cash Rules Everything Around Me” has a similar argument that is the “Capitalist” and the “Worker”. Capitalists are in an extreme position of power. They provide work for the workers to receive the means of living. There was a cruel but necessary distinction made. While living in a capitalist society those who are not part of the upper class do not have the same freedom as those in the lower or middle class. Both of these readings demonstrate a consensus that though the workers produce value they do not receive the “surplus”(4.1) fairly. It also demonstrated the suffrage of the working class “in order to make money…you have to sell your labor to someone who does”(4.2).

However, though there were many similarities made between the readings (the distinction between the lives and position of the “Owning class” or “Worker”) there was a difference that separated some of their ideas. The first reading highlights the function of capitalists in America while the second informs how to dismantle it and the position/value of workers. 4.2 (C.R.E.A.M) resonated with me the most because it gave so much to defense to those who identify as socialists in a capitalist economy. The first reading goes into detail about the drastic differences in the lives of the upper, middle, and lower class and how each contribute and functions in a capitalist society. This information is important but it does not provide evidence as to what a socialist society would entail, what is needed to deconstruct a capitalist system, and the drastic difference between capitalist and worker. Heidman(4.2) reveals the affect and power of capitalist on both an economic and political scale. Economically capitalist rule the economy and are given two tasks create work and create consumers. Workers receive money to consume and consumers spend the money they have worked for all whilst remaining in the same position. In this capitalist system the only beneficiary who experiences exponential growth are capitalists or “Owners”. Politically capitalist influence the social stance of minorities. In order to “tackle theracial weath gap” and the difference in “educational experience” money distribution and investment is needed(4.2; 7/12). Capitalist also affect gender inequality, roles and wage gap as “the workplace is a site of gender hierarchies where managers and bosses can use their power to sexually harass and abuse”; “employers penalizing women for having children and caring for them”; “employers (must) offer parental leave to both parents, so that women aren’t the default caregivers suffering the consequent career penalties”.- These are all citations from the second reading that provide verification of how capitalism societies on a politcal and social level, none of which were made in the first reading. As mentioned, though it is important to know the distinctions of the “Owning” and “Employed” classes it is ever more important to understand the deep roots on which the owning class have in society and how they are able to rule, flourish, and live differently than others.