Introduction

Social change occurs when the mechanisms within the social, structure are altered.It is characterized by the changes in social organizations, cultural symbols or even the value systems (Sanford, 32). Sociologists have used social change models to explain the history of various disciplines.Analyzing the social world culture and everyday life is crucial. Example of social change that has long term effects includes the abolition of slavery, industrial revolution, gender discrimination, racism only to mention a few (Sanford, 65). Most industrialized nations are embracing the fact that social change is necessary for a better world.The U.S, for example, has experienced significant changes in various field such as medical care,  marijuana, technology and government breakdown which will be discussed in detail in this paper.

Healthcare coverage in the U.S is provided through a combination of both public health coverage and private health –insurance. According to a report by the WHO, the United States spent a total of 9403 dollars on healthcare per capita and another 17.1 percent as its GDP percentage in 2014. The fact that the U.S does not have a uniform health system and no universal health care system makes it unique among the other industrialized countries. The health-insurance system in the U.S has caused human rights crisis that deprives most people the healthcare they need (Dieleman et al., 320). Many studies have pointed out that the healthcare system in the U.S does not protect human rights to health.The reason for this is that in 2007, both the Commonwealth and the WHO reported that there is a higher infant mortality rate and lower life expectancy in the U.S compared to other developed countries.The United States has the highest maternal-mortality among all the top –income countries(Dieleman et al.,339).A further study by the American Journal of statistics has also indicated that on average 45000 people in the U.S die each year due to lack of health –insurance. Moreover, the rights of people of color are also violated.According to the SEER cancer statistics, the survival rate for African Americans is 48% and 60% for the whites.

The U.S is experiencing rapid changes in the healthcare sector.The key motivates for the difference is the need to protect human rights to health and the springs passage of Patient care.The springs passage aimed at addressing the crises that are facing the health sector.It focuses on reducing the number of uninsured individuals from 50 million top about 16million, therefore, reducing the burden of uncompensated care. Moreover, it contains provisions for detecting fraud Besides the PPACA other change driver include the large employers who purchase health insurance coverage for the employees and the insurers who pay for the health services(Dieleman et al.,207).The employers who buy health insurance for their employees tend to place pressure on the care providers with the aim of containing cost shifting part of the costs to their employees and to create an effective wellness plan for their employees. The regional health systems encompass all doctors, physicians and the hospitals in the provision of health care to the citizens (Dieleman et al.,256). A givenregion should have a specified number of hospitals, physicians groups as well as the doctors. The current changes in the health system are forcing a difference in the quality, cost and health outcomes.

Technology and social change deal with how technology is developed and used in social contexts and how technological change helps shape any culture, political and economic processes in society.Technology has revolutionized over the world over the recent years.Ever since it emerged as an independent nation, Americahas encouraged advancements in technology and science.It has allowed the free flow of ideas by promoting the growth of useful information and welcoming people from all walks of life.The U.S constitution demonstrates the desire to encourage technological and scientific revolution.

Moreover, it gives Congress the power to promote scientific and technological progress (Nail, 76). Through modern technology, Americans have been able to come up with many functional and utility devices such as smartphones and Televisions. Televisions which are among the most prominent money maker technology is expected to make a yearly revenue of 14.3 %.However, the future of technology is supposed to be more interesting with more advancements in the coming years.Americans are so addicted to technology since most of them have a long-standing fascination and facility with technology(Nail, 82).Technological advancements not only allows people to act in certain ways but they also shape the user which may eventually have ethical consequences.

A government shutdown occurs when some essential federal programmes are closed when Congress has failed to appropriate funds. Usually, Congress allocates funds every fiscal year. When that does not happen, theCongress enacts continuing funding resolution.And if the Congress still fails to agree on that, it forces shutdown which signals a complete breakdown in the budgetary progress. In the 2013 government shutdown departments such as the department of energy, agriculture .commerce, department of defense and military academics among others were affected (Baker et al., 113). The 2018-2019 government shutdown that occurred from the midnight of 22 December to January 2015 is said to be the longest and the second during the presidency of Donald Trump. During this shutdown, 380,000 employees were furloughed.Another 420,000 reported to work but did not receive pay until the end of the closure.Due to the changes in the government shutdown program, the number of non-post federal employees reduced from 850,00 in 2013.

The United States is among the few countries that have legalized marijuana in some of its states.In the year 1996, the California voters a proposition with 215 making the golden state the first in the union to legalize marijuana for medical use.Since then 32 more countries have enacted the laws.In the 22^nd of January 2018, theVermontlegislature passed the adult use legalization(Homel et al.,69). Therefore,  legalizing the use of marijuana and the governor signed it.The Institute of Medicine issued a report that examined the therapeutic use of marijuana.It indicated that marijuana could be used for pain relief, control of vomiting and nausea and appetite stimulation. However, smoked marijuana can deliver harmful substances to the body. An election was done in early 2019, marijuana won in ten states and have now legalized cannabis for adult use while 33 others allow it for medical use.The number of states that will allow marijuana use is expected to jump in a big way in 2019 since several states are considering legalizing the use of marijuana (Homel et al., 98).The growing public support is expected to lead to significant victories in the legalization of cannabis.

Investing in a better world is crucial for any country, these can only be possible if people can embrace the changes.

Works Cited

Baker, Scott R., and Constantine Yannelis. “Income changes and consumption: Evidence from the 2013 federal government shutdown.” Review of Economic Dynamics 23 (2017): 99-124.

Cook, Niall. Enterprise 2.0: How social software will change the future of work. Routledge, 2017.

Dieleman, Joseph L., et al. “US spending on personal health care and public health, 1996-2013.” Jama 316.24 (2016): 2627-2646.

Homel, Peter, and Rick Brown. “Marijuana legalization in the United States: An Australian perspective.” Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice 535 (2017): 1.

Sanford, Nevitt. Self and society: Social change and individual development. Routledge, 2017.

 
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