I am 100% capitalist. Socialism is designed to ensure that everyone is equally poor and miserable. It may sound good in theory, but it has failed everywhere it has been tried for one simple reason: eventually you run out of other people's money. Capitalism rewards work and success. Socialism punishes the same while rewarding mediocrity.
@ViciDraco There are no employees (laborers) in a capitalist society? Laborers exist under both systems. However, capitalism allows laborers to gain experience, skill and wealth so that they can improve their financial position. Socialism takes from those who produce and gives to those who do not. Where is the incentive for hard work and taking prudent financial risk when laziness is rewarded virtually equally?
@StrictSouthernHOH You need to actually go study what socialism is, and not just listen to conservative talking points. Socialism isn't about redistribution, it is about laborers owning the fruits of their labor. Capitalism steals the profit from laborers. Capitalism redistributes wealth to the already wealthy on a massive scale.
I am neither and I don't believe we need to categorise ourselves in that way.. I don't think we need to be one or the other, or that we can't be both, or that putting our family first means we are socialist.. or that if we are capitalist that means we don't put our family first. But that's just me - I am a bit non-conformist in some things
My family and friends matter most to me...and that is why I want my country to be prosperous, because I want them to have nice, safe, homes, great jobs or their own businesses, plenty of money, and plenty of food. Prosperity does NOT happen under socialism.
The two are linked to the point of being interwoven. Allowing profit motivates development. That is the Capitalist Secret.. But sharing the results of that profit with those who would otherwise be left behind allows them not only to grow and contribute more, but also makes measures by the haves to protect and isolate themselves from the have nots in the form of security to be fogone in favour of yet more investment. A balanced blend of the two is a virtuous spiral upward.
Socialism is a more recent venture, and has largely failed. Capitalism has more recently led to massive wealth inequality. I'm neither of these, really.
I'm closer to social democracy - which confused Americans call socialism. It's not at all. Socialism is government control of the means of production. 9 of the 10 most highly developed countries in the world (as measured on the Human Development Index) are social democracies. The US isn't in the top 10 any more.
The other worthwhile indicator is of social mobility - how easy is it for someone in a country born in a poor family to make good. Again, almost all the countries that rank in the top 20 are social democracies.
Socialist or capitalist is a false dichotomy. It's used to manipulate the masses. If you think of it in this binary way, you are almost certainly thinking in highly simplistic definitions that do not describe the real world.
I think there's a better way, maybe a blended way. After all, no American citizen can claim to be a pure capitalist given the number of social programs we have.
I've talked to people who enjoy socialism and those who think it makes people lazy. I think capitalism has allowed for some tremendous innovation but also an abominable gap in wealth.
Maybe let's start thinking out of the box. If the majority aren't happy with either practice, let's develop a new path.
Capitalists make profits to have something to lovingly support their family with..
Capitalism has been the mode of the world for a LONG LONG time.. Egypt used to trade wheat for imports.. Trading and traders have been around since the first civilizations..
Only a brain washed individual would believe that capitalism is a recent invention..
@Adstar You have no idea what capitalism, socialism, fuedelism means. Let me explain something to you. No economic system says goods and services are given at cost. Capitalism isn't defined as making a profit on a good or service. The difference between these different systems is how and to who the wealth generated by labor and trade is distributed. Who profits off of what, how they do it, and to what degree. You're making absolutely no sense because you have no idea what you're talking about.
Serfs weren't really paid anything. They were given the priviledge to farm some land that belonged to the lord in exchange for working a bigger part of the lord's land for him to profit off his land through their labor. Any currency given back to the serf was charity and at the lord's desire.
Capitalism, but using the market as a tool, not a goal. National interests are above the market. State-run businesses competing with private ones in strategic activities like banking or energy.
Both are flawed the way it is. Any system that has poor people and has no solution to poverty is a conspiracy.
I have formulated a system where the future is richer than the past. But now we are in a legacy system where past hoards the richness and renders the future poorer.
@MalteseFalconPunch theoretically. Paine learned what Jesus knew and Paine wasn't even a theist. Or a Jesus worshipper...but the idea of teaching your children brought this song to mind... hope u don't mind ;=) [media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyU0P6iqyw4]
I personally see various problems with capitalism and the usual response I see from those who are in favor of capitalism is that there are no problems. I dunno if I'm a socialist but I am at least allowed to critique what I see around me.
Capitalism is still a few centuries old. Mercantilism was also essentially primitive capitalism before that even.
I would not say I am either, but I lean more strongly towards socialism. Now, with that being said I believe capitalism has played a very important role as a bridge to get us to a point where a more socialist economy can thrive. It was a useful tool for the time. However, I do believe we have reached the point where capitalism is beginning to do more social harm than it is social good. This does not retroactively denigrate what capitalism has done, but it is time to evolve and move on.
What a stupid question. Everyone is a mixture of each and much more. Don't do the stupid labeling stereotyping thing. That's the problem with the world.
