prove capitalism

[bluescouse]

Since we live in a capitalist world, and 50-75% of it's population live in third world conditions, how can anyone say capitalism works.
Another point I would like answered is how capitalism is going to cope with the coming recession? This has been coming for some time, and has only held off by people using credit to keep the consumerism going.
I can only speak for the Uk, but already people are taking out loans to consolodate credit cards, and other loans, taking out bigger mortgages, etc. Already homes are getting repossessed at an accellerating rate, interest rates are rising and even capitalist economists are predicting a recession. It is a ticking bomb.

[luxemburg89]

Good post. I'm sure there is a Castro quote along the lines of 'They tell me Communism doesn't work; well I don't see Capitalism working in Africa.' And whatever you think of Castro (I have mixed opinions, though more positive than negative) he certainly makes a good point, as do you. This rediculous gap between minority rich and majority poor IS Capitalism - not a failing, nor can there be success - this situation is Capitalism at its best. The Capitalists are rich - their workers/teir peasantry (if you wish to use that term) are poor. This is exactly what they want - though they create false human rights, impede us with religious morals, and forever try to justify their total injustice.

[pusher robot]

Since we live in a capitalist world, and 50-75% of it's population live in third world conditions, how can anyone say capitalism works.

It is not a capitalist world. I think you will find that those 50-75% do not live in capitalist societies. If they did, their lives would immeasurably improve. Where capitalism has been adopted, life is the best it has ever been by almost every metric.

Another point I would like answered is how capitalism is going to cope with the coming recession? This has been coming for some time, and has only held off by people using credit to keep the consumerism going.

The same way it has coped with previous recessions - by adopting more conservative fiscal policies. Most people will not even notice the difference.

I can only speak for the Uk, but already people are taking out loans to consolodate credit cards, and other loans, taking out bigger mortgages, etc. Already homes are getting repossessed at an accellerating rate, interest rates are rising and even capitalist economists are predicting a recession. It is a ticking bomb.

No it isn't. Undoubtedly, there will be a contraction of the credit market, but such an adjustment is probably overdue and will only serve to strengthen the economy by making it more efficient.

I'm sure there is a Castro quote along the lines of 'They tell me Communism doesn't work; well I don't see Capitalism working in Africa.' And whatever you think of Castro (I have mixed opinions, though more positive than negative) he certainly makes a good point, as do you.

No, he doesn't. Capitalism only works where it exists, and it doesn't exist in the vast majority of Africa. Riddle me this: was Zimbabwe more or less capitalist 10 years ago compared to today? Is the decline of agriculture there to the degree that it has gone from a net food exporter to a net food importer merely a coincidence?

[Dean]

Originally posted by pusher robot@September 10, 2007 11:53 pm

Since we live in a capitalist world, and 50-75% of it's population live in third world conditions, how can anyone say capitalism works.

It is not a capitalist world. I think you will find that those 50-75% do not live in capitalist societies. If they did, their lives would immeasurably improve. Where capitalism has been adopted, life is the best it has ever been by almost every metric.

I'm just waiting for my passport to Russia to be approved!

[bluescouse]

Originally posted by pusher robot@September 10, 2007 11:53 pm

Since we live in a capitalist world, and 50-75% of it's population live in third world conditions, how can anyone say capitalism works.

It is not a capitalist world. I think you will find that those 50-75% do not live in capitalist societies. If they did, their lives would immeasurably improve. Where capitalism has been adopted, life is the best it has ever been by almost every metric.

Another point I would like answered is how capitalism is going to cope with the coming recession? This has been coming for some time, and has only held off by people using credit to keep the consumerism going.

The same way it has coped with previous recessions - by adopting more conservative fiscal policies. Most people will not even notice the difference.

I can only speak for the Uk, but already people are taking out loans to consolodate credit cards, and other loans, taking out bigger mortgages, etc. Already homes are getting repossessed at an accellerating rate, interest rates are rising and even capitalist economists are predicting a recession. It is a ticking bomb.

No it isn't. Undoubtedly, there will be a contraction of the credit market, but such an adjustment is probably overdue and will only serve to strengthen the economy by making it more efficient.

I'm sure there is a Castro quote along the lines of 'They tell me Communism doesn't work; well I don't see Capitalism working in Africa.' And whatever you think of Castro (I have mixed opinions, though more positive than negative) he certainly makes a good point, as do you.

No, he doesn't. Capitalism only works where it exists, and it doesn't exist in the vast majority of Africa. Riddle me this: was Zimbabwe more or less capitalist 10 years ago compared to today? Is the decline of agriculture there to the degree that it has gone from a net food exporter to a net food importer merely a coincidence?

Capitalism does exist in the third world, mostly western owned, capital, but nonetheless capitalism. These countries have free markets. These countries operate on the world market. They are subject to rules of capitalism. They may not conform to some, asinine, Ayn Rand, definition, but what kind of retard get's their philosophy from a second rate sci fi writer.
Aren't the Tea/coffee plantations, the palm oil plantations, the tobacco plantations owned, or exploited by capitalists? Aren't these countries being driven to poverty by capitalist banks?
As for people not noticing a recession, I certainly remembered, and noticed the one in the early eighties. People who lose their jobs, and their homes will notice.
The fact is that capitalism cannot, and never has been, and probably never will, be able to feed it's people.

[Dr Mindbender]

As opposed to making conditions better for the majority of people, it is actually in the interests of the establishment class to keep the living standards as poor as possible in order to drive them into such a state of desperation that they are willing to accept the lowest wages that the capitalists can legally get away with paying. The threat of dismissal and subsequent poverty means they are free to change contract conditions at their leisure in order to extort more labour for less money as they see fit, particularly in regions where there is a job vacuum.
Certainly in the UK, the labour shortage of the 70's is long gone. There are not enough jobs and too many prospective workers and the market dictates that in an area of high supply wages must also suffer.