Politics

Capitalism is an economic system where wealth is privatized, that is, controlled by individuals. It stands in contrast to socialism, where wealth is controlled by the government. Western economies are said to be capitalist systems, though in reality they are a blend of capitalist and socialist systems, where the left and right wing advocate socialist vs. capitalistic leaning economic policies respectively.

Censorship limits the freedom of speech and expression, typically by the government, for purported social good. In its most extreme form, it is illegal for people to question the leaders and ideology of the society they live in.

Euthanasia is the act of mercifully ending someone's life, such as a terminally ill patient. It can be voluntary (where the patient gives consent) or involuntary (where the patient is unable to communicate). It can also be via action (e.g. a drug overdose) or inaction (cutting off life support). Euthanasia also encompasses assisted suicide, where a physician enables the patient to perform the act.

Political activists sometimes desecrate their own country's flag as a protest against the government. Some governments have outlawed the act, while other governments consider it a form of freedom of expression for their citizens.

The Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp in Cuba is a POW camp run by the United States. Its critics claim it breaks international law, because its prisoners are abused and held indefinitely without fair trial.

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is a scientific body formed by the United Nations in 1988 to summarize research on climate change for the purpose of informing policy makers. Those who are skeptical of anthropogenic global warming have questioned the objectivity of the organization.

A month after the September 11th attacks, the U.S. in conjunction with the U.K. invaded Afghanistan, toppling the Taliban regime that was sympathetic to Al-Qaeda. Kabul, the country's capital, has for decades at best provided only a weak form of central government, and the country quickly descended into anarchy. This prompted the U.N. to create the International Security Assistance Force to help establish peace and security in the region, but to date they have had very limited success.

Advocates of voting proclaim that voting is the duty of a democratic citizen. Critics say that your vote will almost certainly be inconsequential, since elections are seldom won by a single vote. Furthermore, the critics claim that in the case the parties don't offer significant differences, that the impact of that single vote is reduced.

Anthropogenic Global Warming has become a huge multinational concern, with many people's career and credibility dependent on its truth. As such, some skeptics claim that scientists now fear that challenging the new orthodoxy can result in a lack of funding. Believers have pointed the finger to the fossil fuel industry for spreading misinformation about the facts, and criticized politicians uneasy dealing with the economic impacts of climate change for stonewalling.