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Amanda Rohrer Nov. 26, 2013 Composition 101 Cooper The Power of Money Money. Currency. Cash. Coinage. These are all merely physical mediums of exchange by which the societies all across the globe run monetarily (Money Cambridge). One would not think that a thin crisp piece of parchment could hold any power over oneself or over a country. However, this small notion of a payment has much value in which numerous people want. This value is monetary at first (Money Cambridge). It grows to be more than just an amount in a paycheck or a payment in a bill. It has a power which grows in ones mind that can cause them to become not themselves anymore. A longing for wealth clogs all the thoughts causing intellectual labor to try and overcome inconveniences (Money Cambridge). From the beginning of America, our country has been grounded in the foundation of taxes, taxes, and more taxes. No wonder America today is behaving in the negative consequences of the power money embraces. In the early 1750s the French and Indian War (Seven Years War) broke out in the Americas where the colonists had settled. The colonists and the British were already not on very good terms but this war pushed the negative feelings even more, a turn in their relations (Tax). War is never a cheap affair to come by so the British government borrowed much money from Dutch banks to pay for it (Tax). The relief of the war had soon sunk in when the Dutch needed their money back but the British was still broke. The government thought of the taxation strategy

to gain the much needed income from the colonies in America. However, the colonies did not profit Great Britain much as it was before this strategy was brought into effect. The colonists did not want to inflate the cost in the raw goods grown in the colonies. It would not be a benefit (Tax). They already had to sell their raw goods to the British to be manufactured and then buy the items back at a much higher cost. Since the colonists were losing a substantial amount of money, smuggling became a habit among the cities there (Tax). The British needed money and realized that the colonies themselves were not making enough for them to make any profit. Therefore, the British Parliament passed several taxes on common everyday goods. The Stamp Act, the Molasses Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Act were all established in the mindset of forcing the money to come to the British government (Tax). Great Britain had the longing, not just a need, for money and an abundance of it. Therefore, the government did all they could to be successful in accomplishing what was wanted. The power of authority allowed them to have control over the colonies but the power of money made them take advantage of the colonists. This power caused the colonists to become poor and have a hard life providing for themselves and their families. The power of money has its ways to corrupt, even those in an authoritative position above like the government. Politics It says a lot about our country when the top 20 percent of earners receive more than half of the $12 trillion coming out of the tax breaks in the next 10 years and the bottom 20 percent are only allotted 8 percent of that amount (Alterman). That is really horrifying. The United States did not learn from the British and all the problems they had when they had barely anything. The government today is willing to do all they can to benefit the wealthy verses the poor because in

the long run it benefits the government (Alterman). Those with a less income are seen as undesired and are treated that way. The power of money resides in the government and then in the wealthy. Mostly the government is the wealthy therefore it is self-satisfaction. Money has a huge influence on people in society (Marysdaughter). It almost has a gaze in itself for it can influence directly especially with self-worth. For example, if a man buys his wife a diamond necklace at the jewelers for $500 verses an economically fit necklace at a retail store for $50, by first impression you believe the man who bought the $500 necklace cares more for his wife (Marysdaughter). Or in school how people are always considered cool or attractive if they wear expensive name brands like Abercrombie & Fitch verses those nerds who wear clothes that are Wal-Mart brand (Marysdaughter). Having money in todays society brings out a sense of worth in a person while those without copious amounts are undesired. This can also be a huge problem with bullying in schools. Those who must work hard in school to get good grades for scholarships to advance into later schooling are bullied by those who can just get by and have the money to spare to get them where they want to be. Or those kids who do not have the money for nice clothing or the money to go out to eat or eat elaborate lunches are picked on by those who are fortunate enough to not have to worry about where their next meal will be. Unfortunately, the bullying that can be a result from the power of money can cause some children to have suicidal thoughts/depression and possibly even act upon those thoughts. Influences of money are not always negative. Those who have money in abundance often have the privilege of giving to those in need. However, the power of money enables people to show love in the easiest of ways. It is easy to give someone twenty dollars who is standing on the side of the road with a sign that says, Will work for food. Sometimes, money can be the easy

way out verses actually taking the action in getting them some food or making the risk in taking them under your wing and discipling them. Shakespeare had some interesting viewpoints on the power of money. He viewed money as a deterrent power of his own (The Power). He believed that the power of money reflected his own extent of power. Therefore, the power that comes from money was a property of himself (The Power). For example: I am bad, dishonest, unscrupulous, stupid; but money is honoured, and hence its possessor. Money is the supreme good, therefore its possessor is good. Money, besides, saves me the troubles of being dishonest: I am therefore presumed honest. I am brainless, but money is the real brain of all things and how then should its possessor be brainless? (The Power) This quote from Shakespeare shows that money controls the possessor of it basically. If money is good, how can the owner not be? Or if money is not ugly, how can the owner be ugly? Money and the owner, possessor, of it directly correlates with one another, the bond binding to human life. (The Power) He also believes that money not only binds but separates also. The power of money can be used like free will. It can be used to harm or to help, separate or to bind. Shakespeare also says that if he cannot do something then he is able to do it with money. In many verses in the bible it talk about money and how its power showed control in ones life. One that explains why money is a top priority in peoples lives is Luke 16:13. No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Money Acts).

The power of money is actually given to it by the possessor. The wealthy person can become consumed with the idea of having money in their possession, this means that money became their god and their worshiping it. Materialism is a sin, for you can only serve one god (Money Acts). Instead of worshiping the material currency made by the world God should be exalted like it says in 1 Samuel 2:7 (Money Acts). The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. The wealth obtained in the worldly life is only because the Lord has allowed that to happen. In this, humility should be taken for it was on His account not on any human account. However, in todays society the god is money not God the father and creator of the world. This power of money has corrupted people even spiritually. It was not excluded from the church either unfortunately. The power of money has taken this country and even the world into corruption. This corruption has rooted in the government and has branched out into the church and even in small life. Money is a physical thing that is used for purchasing. The power of those who need it or have a copious amount of it makes them do outlandish deeds to try and accomplish goals.

Works Cited Alterman, Eric. "Think Again: The Power of Money, Not Logic." Americanprogress.org. Center for American Progress, 2013. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Marysdaughter, Karen. "The Influence of Money on Decisions to Engage in War Tax Resistance." NWTRCC The Influence of Money. Conscience, Fall 1989, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. "Money." Acts 17:11 Bible Study: In Scripture. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. "Money." Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Credo Reference. Web. 24 November 2013. "Tax History Project -- The Seven Years War to the American Revolution." Tax History Project -- The Seven Years War to the American Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. "The Power of Money, Marx, 1844." The Power of Money, Marx, 1844. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.