What is Capitalism?

[Capitalist]

I agree with about 98% of this site.

http://www.capitalism.org

This site truly represents our beliefs (although I don't agree with their view on abortion or drug use)

Looks like the site was authored by a Cuban (A lot of references to the injustices in Communist Cuba).

[Iepilei]

it's funny how they advocate "free will", yet they never mention how the rise of a secondary power (government / economy rather than a combined system) even further influences suppression on the people.

Face it, people aren't able to regulate themselves in such a system. You give a person an ounce of power over someone else for a second (and yes, wealth is an accumulated social power) and all hell breaks loose.

[James]

friend, i imagine its with every system. Looks good on paper, but in practise...

Inequality declined within many countries between 1946-1970s, but since the tenets of the “Washington Consensus” became mainstream there has been a reversal of this trend all over the world.

“Number of people living in extreme poverty, considered here as living on less than a dollar a day, has increased…in every developing country” – UN Human Development Report 2000

India – around half the population live off the equivalent of less than $1.50 a day.

36.5 million Americans (13.7% of the American population) live in poverty, while 40% of the US’ money is owned by the top 1%.

All 50,000 workers at the Yue Yen Nike factory in China would have to work for 19 years to earn what Nike spends on advertising in one year.

Wal-Mart’s annual sales are worth 120 more than Haiti’s entire annual Budget.

Disney CEO Michael Eisner earns $9,783 an hour while a Haitian worker earns 28 cents an hour.

It would take a Haitian worker 16.8 years to earn Eisner’s hourly income.

3% of the American male workforce is in prison.

Number of British families below the poverty line rose by 60% in the 1980s.

By 1996 the UK had the highest proportion in Europe of children living in poverty, with 300,000 British children worse off in absolute terms in 1995-1996 than in 1979.

The anti-depressant market grew 16% per year in G7 countries between 1989 and 1999 – The IMS Health Report

Half of the UK’s fathers spend less than 5 minutes a day in direct contact with their children.

Death rates from some of the most significant diseases are reduced when income differentials are lowered.

The $181 million in stock options Eisner exercised in 1996 is enough to take care of his 19,000 Haitian work force and their families for the next 14 years.

Communicable diseases cause 59% of deaths among the poorest 20% of the world population. For the richest: 8%.

In India, 15-19 year olds from the richest 20% of households have completed an average ten years of schooling. Children from the poorest 40% of households have on average NO schooling.

Higher crime rates (including murders and violent crimes etc) are correlated with wider income differences.

The 100 largest multinational corporations now control about 20% of Global foreign assets.

51 of the 100 biggest economies in the world are now corporations only 49 are nation states.

The sales of General Motors and Ford are greater than the GDP of the whole sub-Saharan Africa.

The assets of IBM, BP and General Electric outstrip the economic capabilities of most small nations.

Wal-Mart has higher revenues than most central and eastern European states: Including, Poland, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.

Americans spend $8 billion a year on cosmetics while the world cannot find the $9 billion the UN reckons is needed to give all people across the globe access to clean drinking water and sanitation.

The New Labour party has gone on record as saying that wealth creation is now more important than wealth redistribution.

45 million Americans have no health insurance.

In America, during the ten years from 1988, income for the poorest families rose less than 1%, while it jumped 15% for the richest 5%.

¾ of Americans now think that business has gained too much power over many aspects of their lives.

Top 10% of South African homes account for almost 50% of total consumer spending, while the bottom 10% account for just 1%.

The states primary role is to now, “provide an attractive environment for corporations or international financial investors”


(Edited by James at 9:42 pm on Oct. 11, 2002)

[Sulla the Dictator]

Quote: from Iepilei on 5:15 am on Oct. 12, 2002
it's funny how they advocate "free will", yet they never mention how the rise of a secondary power (government / economy rather than a combined system) even further influences suppression on the people.


I disagree. A system where power is divided between the Private Sector and the States allows for a system of checks and balances which limit corruption and abuse.



Face it, people aren't able to regulate themselves in such a system.


Sure they can.



You give a person an ounce of power over someone else for a second (and yes, wealth is an accumulated social power) and all hell breaks loose.


Nice supposition. Its good to see that an upsidedown American flag gives one an intimate view of the hearts and minds of a collective body.

(Edited by Sulla the Dictator at 1:14 pm on Oct. 12, 2002)


(Edited by Sulla the Dictator at 1:15 pm on Oct. 12, 2002)

[Iepilei]

oh please, it's the same rant used against the communist theory. The only difference it's much more effective when in terms of capitalism, because unlike COMMUNISM, self-regulation is supposedly how the 'free-market' system operates.

as far as the flag rant goes, I'm clueless. I chose a random avatar from the list and suddenly it's grounds for my complete and utter understanding of political philosophy? No, I had a bit of understanding BEFORE I ventured to the boards.

(Edited by Iepilei at 7:27 am on Oct. 12, 2002)

[PaulDavidHewson]

Or, in the words of John Galt,
"I swear -- by my life and by my love of it -- that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."

More capiltalist should have this standard, maybe it would increase some living standards in some sweatshops?

The problem with capitalisme is that it has no legal regulations in which people are somehow in someway required to help other. This meaning that if someone loses his job he can expect nothing from the goverment but must rely on charity. Taxing citizens for the purpose of sustaining the jobless would be considered an infrigment of right.
in capitalisme, taxing people for social purposes would be considered initiating force.
I rather have a more humanitarian form of goverment if you don't mind.

[PaulDavidHewson]

"How will one support government without taxation?
The removal of all taxation would be the last step to implement in the transition to a free capitalist society. The costs of a proper government -- with an army (engaged only in self-defense and not imperialism), a court system, and a police force -- are very small, and easily paid for by voluntary financing methods. Such methods are used by nonprofit agencies, like churches, to raise billions of dollars."

Bill: George, my indivdual rights are in danger. Those Java guys are behind it. Here's a billion dollars.
George: Sure Bill, This money will help us preserve your individual rights, thanks. Now I can finally buy that
Mansion with that superdeluxe doghouse next to it. It will be perfect for my little Tony.
Tony: Bark...Bark!

[Anonymous]

"What is Capitalism? "

A big piece of shit with a cherry on top

[antieverything]

If any of this free-market theory actually worked in practice (it has failed...and unlike socialism, you can't say that it hasn't been tried) the arguments for it would be more convincing...despite their nonsensicle "common-sense" assumptions! Regulated capitalists systems have been shown over and over again to work better than unregulated ones.

(Edited by antieverything at 11:51 pm on Oct. 15, 2002)

[Turnoviseous]

This are two of my posts that were posted a while ago:


-"Things are what they are, independent of ours or anyone else's feelings, ideas, wishes, desires, and emotions.

Or, in the immortal words of Aristotle: A is A. To be, is to be something: finite, limited, and non-contradictory." (Quoted from http://www.capitalism.org)

"Man is a being of free will. Man can choose to think, drift, or evade -- but choose he must. His thoughts determine: his character, his values, his emotions, and his actions, and so his thoughts determine his destiny." (Quoted from http://www.capitalism.org)

Is it only me or these two quotes seem very contradictionary also to someone else?

Capitalists don´t understand even what they say.


Here: http://www.russia.com/forums/showthread.ph...3?threadid=9801 (http://www.russia.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=9801) are also some interesting things about capitalism.

Capitalists are very shortminded.

Here it is also something about dialectics which says that "a" is not equal to "a":

http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/wo...39/1939-abc.htm (http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/works/1939/1939-abc.htm)


Oh, and about Cuba. You say communist Cuba. How is that? I think it is more closer to fascism than to real socialism.

(Edited by Turnoviseous at 1:05 am on Oct. 16, 2002)

[j]

anti everything-I'm not a capitalist supporter but when has a completely free market system been in place? The US has NEVER been a free market capitalist system.

j

[antieverything]

Not completely...but do some research on the so called Chilean economic "miracle"...it is quite scary. Also, look at American history during the Gilded Age and the Reagan Years...the to most deregulated times in American history. The free-market idea was also really big in Europe a hundered or so years ago.

[antieverything]

In my experience, whenever a cappie starts an argument he starts talking about how the free-market is best for everyone involved...then after being hit with the facts, he changes his tune to, "that is the price of freedom!"

Not a very convincing argument.