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Help with an essay question!!!!

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macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 11, 2004
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NYC
Hey guys,
This year I started the IB program(highschool eduction system) and they are making us think of an extended essay question. The essay has to be 4000 words. I want to do my essay in economics. My question was: "What are the macro and microeconomic effects of the US embargo of Cuba on the Cuban economy." My supervisor said it was a good essay question but it was to broad, can you guys help me narrow this question down. I want to do it on the US embargo but my question is to broad and I wont be able to fit it in the word limit, basically I need help making the question more specefic. This is due friday, pleae help.
PS:If you guys have another good narrow essay question relating to economics feel free to post it.
Thanks,
Patmian212

PPS: HURRY :D
 
Explain the economical benefits garnered to the United States by their emargo of Cuban trade.

Limit it more to the reasons why the US did it, as in what they gained. Or you could go with the negative effects Cuba experienced because of it, and why. There were so many economic repercussions that it is indeed difficult to explain all of them in 4,000 words. I say choose one side and explain.
 
"What are the macro and microeconomic effects of the US embargo of Cuba on Fidel's wallet."

Or better yet, change "Cuba's economy" to something more specific. I think that's what your teacher is asking you to do. Everything else about your topic can stay the same. It could be on "healthcare" or something, although I doubt they had that BEFORE the embargo either. But you never know. Just be specific.

Sorry. :eek:
 
Hey!

Good luck with the IB. I just finished my two years in May. I got a 39 overall and an A in my extended essay :)!

I did my essay on the impact of internet censorship in Saudi Arabia. I didn't do econ so I can't really help you there. What subjects are you doing?
 
I'd say the easiest way to trim it down is to look either only a micro or only at macro. International micro (trade) seems the more pressing angle.
 
My school is quite small so I have a limited choice in subjects.
I am doing:
English A1 high
Spanish A2 high
Economics High
Biology Standard
Math Studies Standard
History Standard
and the obligitory TOK class
 
Thanks for the ideas guys but could you help me form these ideas into an essay question. I've been working on this idea for 4 hours now and im feeling a bit woozy. Ahhhh I need coffee :(
 
A question alont these lines would be usefull however, with something more relevent then china :D
 
wordmunger said:
How about, what was the effect of the embargo on the cuban cigar industry?
Click to expand...
Bingo, we might have a winner, only problem I can see with this is it would be hard to find accurate research.
 
Ah, yes, I remember IB well, especially TOK and the Extended Essay...Just remember, IB therefore I B.S. :D

Good luck on the Extended Essay.
 
Patmian212 said:
Bingo, we might have a winner, only problem I can see with this is it would be hard to find accurate research.
Click to expand...

Having studied Cuba quite a bit in IB HL Hist, I can tell you it IS going to be very difficult to get accurate information. In history you could focus on this as the bias of a source and get some good discussion going; I'm not sure how it works in econ.

For the record the IB has prepared me much more for uni that people who did a levels in the UK.
 
AHHH seems like my idea is crashing and burning, I can find economic figures on cuba but not on something so specific as cigars. I will now accept a completley different essay question related to economics.
 
Perhaps you could talk about cost-benefit analysis as well. How much does it cost the US to prevent Cuba from trading with them... not much. How much benefit does the US recieve... not much.

You could also talk about how the government gets a lot of utility per dollar because they are "preventing the spread of dictatorial communism" (which is their utility) with a very small cost.

Umm... hope I am making sense. I talked too much Econ today in school. Something about marginal cost and Ayn someone and his/her book which I need to read.
 
im_to_hyper said:
Perhaps you could talk about cost-benefit analysis as well. How much does it cost the US to prevent Cuba from trading with them... not much. How much benefit does the US recieve... not much.

You could also talk about how the government gets a lot of utility per dollar because they are "preventing the spread of dictatorial communism" (which is their utility) with a very small cost.

Umm... hope I am making sense. I talked too much Econ today in school. Something about marginal cost and Ayn someone and his/her book which I need to read.
Click to expand...
Sounds good, im still an economy noobie but this essay wont be handed in for a while, almost 4 mohts, so how could I turn that into a question. Sorry, I am running on major caffine overdose and I cant think straight
 
How has our lack of econimic contact with Cuba influnced their economy in that it has tended to reamain a nearly pure communist system where as China another communist country has become more and more capitalist due (in my opinion to are economic contact with the country) Would close economic contact with Cuba have altered their economic practice into something more similar to that of China.

Now you give me a good thesis statement on the importance of education in To Kill a Mocking Bird due monday.
 
Ok I came up with,
What are the microeconomic effects of the US trade embargo of Cuba on Cuban trade.
Still seems to be a bit broad. Any more ideas.
Non-cuban or US related are welcome as long as it has to do with economics.
 
Another essay question I came up with, which is very different and simpler is:
How are high oil prices effecting sales of hybird cars?

I was looking for research on the econmic effects of the cuban emargo on cuba and I couldnt find any figures, I found alot but it was mostly political and not economical.
 
how the micro-economic effects have changed the cuban economy resulting in the black market sales of cuban cigars! i could really go for a good cuban cigar!!
 
Patmian212 said:
Another essay question I came up with, which is very different and simpler is:
How are high oil prices effecting sales of hybird cars?

I was looking for research on the econmic effects of the cuban emargo on cuba and I couldnt find any figures, I found alot but it was mostly political and not economical.
Click to expand...

Hey yeah, that would be a much simpler topic to write about. Keep in mind, I am an econ n00b as well... I've only been in the class for a month and a half. (I'm 17... last year of high school)

Anyway, when you write about that remember to talk about consumer taste and preferences as well because those affect the decision to buy a hybrid, not just oil prices.
 
Abstract said:
Or better yet, change "Cuba's economy" to something more specific. I think that's what your teacher is asking you to do. Everything else about your topic can stay the same. It could be on "healthcare" or something, although I doubt they had that BEFORE the embargo either. But you never know.
Click to expand...

I think this would make a terrific topic.
Cuba actually had an excellent health care system, certainly manyfold better than pre-revolution times and in many aspects better than ours (think 'universal', and non-profit driven). during the worst embargo periods, among the few thing still running were hospital, research centers and medicine factories.
 
How about turning the question around and instead of asking how the embargo affected Cuba's economy, say something like this:

"What specific political and socioeconomic pressures placed upon the United States by world affairs most directly resulted in the US-Cuba trade embargo?"
 
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