$1.$ Do you consider that the measure $($dividing real government spending by nominal GDP$)$ is a good measure of socialism as per Weiss, L$.2013,$The myth of free$-$market capitalism versus the rest?$$ Why, or why not? $(3)$

$2.$ According to Bower $(2009)$ public spending as a percentage of GDP$,$ on average, is much higher in wealthy democracies than in emerging economies.$$ Why do you think this is so$?(3)$

$3.$ Bower $(2009)$ states that $$the United States has almost entered the normal range of Western European socialism $[$using the above measure$],$ however, the United States$$ enormous spending on the military may skew the calculation$.$ Excluding military spending, the United States is $40\%$ socialist. Aside from the measures given by Bower $(2009),$ what evidence is there that Europe has a more socialist$-$oriented economy than the United States? $(3)$

$4.$ Debate the validity of the argument in the context of South African economic policy and the $2008$ economic crisis. $(6)$