Contradictory Capitalism

[EMS]

Using the simple laws of supply and demand, one would find that if say farmers produce less, they actually get more money. Lets say all the wheat farmers in europe were struck by a heat wave, and the amount of wheat produced dropped drastically, but the demand for wheat remains the same(price elasticity), so for farmers it is benificial to produce as little as possible.

Any other contradictions of capitalism would be greatly appreciated.

[Non-Sectarian Bastard!]

Yes but other farmers would start producing more, so they can get those hugh profits too. Automatically lowering the price and supplying the demand. Althus the capitalists.

But as capitalism advances, more concurrents fall away and monopolies are formed. Making the scenario that you described easier and occuring more often. This is pretty much inevitable in capitalism.

[kellyk]

Another inefficiency of Capitalism, or perhaps defficiency, is its inabiltiy to create an equality we are all born with, "survival of the fittest" sometimes means: "survival of the luckiest".

A classless society can never be born with capitalism because the bourgeoise find themselves perfectly content with mediocrity and are unwilling to give that up, that is seen today in the growing class seperations, lower and uppper are growing farther and farther apart, and no one is doing anything about it, because those who can are happy where they are. Eventually that luck will run out.

[apathy maybe]

A major flaw in the "capitalism" of today is one that is probably making Adam Smith turn in his grave. That is the full knowledge of goods and the ability to make a free choice between goods.
How many people know the prices of every car in the district, all the faults and features? The same applies to vegtables, to computer software etc. Without this full knowledge capitalism can't work, notice how it doesn't. If an invisible hand really did guide the market, then why do we need government regulation?


Another major flaw in todays "capitalism" was noted by Marx, monopolies are going to form, it is hard to stop it.

[Rage Against the Right]

Using the simple laws of supply and demand, one would find that if say farmers produce less, they actually get more money. Lets say all the wheat farmers in europe were struck by a heat wave, and the amount of wheat produced dropped drastically, but the demand for wheat remains the same(price elasticity), so for farmers it is benificial to produce as little as possible.

That's why in the United States the government pays farmers to not grow craps or destroy crops. Even though people starve all over the world? Bastards.

[Gen Arkan]

capitalism claims to have the most efficient economic system for the allocation of scarce resources, as it is decided by wants (profits) however this only represents the wants of the rich and those who can afford.

It is also untrue that scarce resoruces are allocated efficiently as you will notice at any supermarket their are so many near duplicate goods being produced, ie competition, that resources, workers, factories and time is being wasted.

[Marxist in Nebraska]

One of the pivotal mantras of capitalist ideology is "nothing ventured, nothing gained." Or those who are brave enough to invest, and smart enough to invest right, deserve to profit without doing real work.

In reality, this does not even exist. Chomsky discusses this at length.

If a corporation fails, it will use its influence in government to receive a bailout. Meaning taxpayers' hard-earned dollars go toward resurrecting flawed businesses. The "economic Darwinism" that capitalism is supposed to reflect says that businesses that lose money deserve to die.

Another phenomena, especially among corporations with government contracts, is the socialization of cost. The government simply pays, again out of taxes, for corporations' cost of research and development. This is bastardized socialism at work!

Of course, I said socialization of cost. Even though the taxpayers had to subsidize research, the "capitalists" are allowed to keep the profits. Make costs public, keep profits private. That is what passes for capitalism today.

[SROleader]

Of course the most notable inefficiency in a capitalist society is competition. Competition is espoused as breeding efficiency by the capitalists. This is nonsense. People must cooperate to get things done. Only by cooperation can great things be achieved. Why pit people against each other to get something done when they can do it much faster when they work together? What do people in a capitalist society aim to do? make money, this is all they are taught. capitalism teaches selfishness and greed and through this comes corruption and opression.