The Future of Private Gun Ownership in United States

The United States ranks 1st in firearms per capita worldwide and has the highest gun-ownership rates among developed democracies (Masters). Consequently, gun control has been a subject of massive debate in the past decades. Supporters of control cite rising violence as the primary reason for more stringent regulation. Opponents resort to the argument that more gun control leads to less crime. Despite attempts for stricter control, percentage of the American population owning firearms has been continually increasing. A multitude of factors support the rise in gun ownership. Firstly, on the economic front, the gun industry generates employment and tax revenue for governments, making it economically unviable to restrict the sales of private guns. Secondly, contrary to media opinion, the average American citizen is more in favor of gun rights than gun control in today’s date. Lastly, majority of research evidence and type of research conducted in the field does not support the need for stricter gun control. As a result, the future of private gun ownership in the United States is bright, with the number of private firearms rising in subsequent years. Given that most of the opposition to gun ownership is not backed by economic, political, sociological, and democratic viewpoints, I am in favor of the same.
The primary resource for the research paper will be John R. Lott’s book “More guns, Less crimes.” This book provides a comprehensive view of the issue in over 450 pages, covering gun control from different vantage points of economics, politics, media, sociological research and public opinion. Wall Street Journal will serve as a source for economic analysis of the issue. Other studies which study the issue from multiple perspectives cover a timeframe of multiple decades will comprise secondary sources used for the paper.
Economic analysis of the issue must be segregated into two aspects, namely, the economic benefits of private gun sales, and the accruing losses if the government opts for more stringent gun control laws. The industry posts annual sales of over $12 billion (Hall). Further, it has been a generator of high-paying jobs in the American economy despite recession. For instance, in 2009, the gun industry created 26,000 jobs paying $47,000 to the average job owner in the sector (Hall). Studies also note a rise in tax revenues from gun sales in the last decade. On the other hand, the economic consequences of gun control will be greater than curbing of revenues and jobs. For instance, the 2012-2013 restrictive gun control measures cost Colorado government $85 million in taxes and over 600 jobs (Media Trackers). Additionally, they led to cancellation of sports shooting competitions and hunting boycott, synonymous with American culture. The laws saw a rise in black market trading in addition to the use of government funds and resources for implementing the laws. Lastly, the uncertainty of gun laws saw a rapid rise in the demand for firearms, creating an excess of demand over gun supply, raising previously stabilized gun prices (Media Trackers). From an economic viewpoint, gun control is not a viable long-run option for United States.
The second aspect from which the issue should be evaluated deals with research and type of research conducted on gun control does not recommend stricter legislation as a means to lower crime rates in society. Lott’s book highlights how more guns have a deterring effect on criminal behaviors. For instance, according to Lott, concealed handgun laws lower murder rates by 3 percent, robberies by more than 2 percent, and rape by 2 percent annually. A multitude of studies have found a positive correlation between gun ownership and a decline in violent crime. Moreover, this decline adds its own economic merits ranging in billions of dollars. Furthermore, research on gun control is all encompassing taking different benefits and disadvantages into account, making it a comprehensive basis for establishment of laws.
Lastly, while the U.S. media selectively highlights incidents of gun violence, the American public upholds gun rights over gun ownership. In a Pew Research Center survey, American attitudes have shifted from support of gun control to gun rights, as more and more citizens see the benefits of gun ownership over distorted media reports. Lott’s research highlights how selective media reports are on the issue of gun violence while ignoring their benefits. Despite reports, public support of private gun ownership in a democratic nation is likely to sway government away from stringent gun control legislation. Despite support in favor of leniency in gun ownership, the issue attracts heated opposition from detractors.
Opponents of gun control cite a number of reasons for stricter laws. First and foremost are the incidents of gun violence. For instance, a college freshman was accused of shooting four fellow students at Northern Arizona University on 10th October 2015 (CNN). Such incidents highlight the misuse of guns at the hands of ill-prepared private citizens. Some recent students back the premise that more guns lead to more crimes. Furthermore, gun control lobbying in the government raises questions regarding the possibility of a rise in private gun ownership in the country. However, each of these oppositions can be countered with solutions. Statistics of gun violence on account of ill-prepared citizens are far outweighed by crime merits of gun ownership. For instance, a rise in property crimes imposing a cost of $418 million from gun ownership is substantially less compared to $6.7 billion gained from reduction of violent crime based on 1990s concealed handgun laws (Lott). Secondly, gun dealers are responding to misuse of guns by working on smarter identification mechanisms such as those which recognize the owner’s fingerprints, lessening the possibility of accidents by children and criminal misuse (Soja). Additionally, majority of the research validates the overall benefits of gun ownership. Lastly, while the near future may witness a divide on gun control among states with short-term laws implemented in states such as Colorado, Washington, California, and Connecticut, other states will opt for more lenient laws. Such disparity will increase polarization in the short-term though the economic lucrativeness of liberal laws and the expected heightened crime rates in these states will force them to reconsider in the long run. Lastly, the uncertainty regarding laws in these states will further raise short-term demand for guns.
Overall, a number of gun control deterrents will lead to a rise in private gun ownership in America in the long run. First and foremost, the possibility of tax revenues, business income, and employment will not be able to destabilize the multi-billion gun industry in the States. Secondly, public opinion in favor of gun rights in a democratic nation will make it difficult to enforce gun control, as unwanted laws may elicit a political attack on the individuals and political parties involved. Thirdly, research favors lenient laws and in the absence of empirical evidence strongly backing gun control, there is little possibility of strict action. In my opinion, research and logic back the need for liberal gun ownership. Moreover, in a capitalist nation dominated by demand and supply, curbing supply will only create black market incentives for gun sales, defeating the purpose of gun control altogether. Alternatively, stricter laws will mandate digression of government resources throughout the nation away from more pressing issues. To mitigate the negative of accidental and stolen gun use, smarter technology can lead the way. In totality, however, private gun ownership in the United States is expected to rise in the near and long-term future and rightly so.
Works Cited
Almasy, Steve. “Northern Arizona University deadly shooting followed fight, police say.”
CNN. Cable News Network, 10 October 2015. Web. 10 October 2015.
Hall, James. “Economics of Gun Control.” Daily Business Report. 6 March 2013. Web. 10
October. 2015.
Lott, John. R. More Guns, Less Crime (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013.
Masters, John. “U.S. Gun Control Policy: Global Comparisons.” Council on Foreign
Relations. CFR, 24 June 2015. Web, 10 October. 2015.
Media Trackers. “Top 7 Negative economic Effects of Colorado Gun Control.” Media
Trackers, 18 June 2013. Web. 10 October. 2015.
Soja, Jamie. “The Future of Guns: Political Battle Will Focus on States.” The Wall Street
Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 26 April 2015. Web. 10 October. 2015.
TO HAVE YOUR ASSIGNMENTS DONE AT A CHEAPER PRICE, PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US NOW.