What Is Capitalism?

Carthage

Carthage

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I just wrote this, and I though people could use a good explanation of what Capitalism REALLY is.


Capitalism is the free exchange between individuals, with the elimination of force. We do not earn profits by having a military. We do not thieve - we trade. Value for Value, no force involved. We do so for our rational self-interest. There is no rationality in forcing another to give you something. We do not profit when a building is bombed, we do not thieve if we cannot have something. We only use a military when we have been attacked, and we do not thieve - EVER. It is the greatest moral sin in Capitalism, to take instead of trade.

Socialism, however, is the opposite. It is forced altruism. Unless you give the government the money so that it can give it to the poor man who doesn't want to work, you are arrested. There is no value involved, no voluntary exchange. A military forces you to trade for x amount, instead of trading freely with another. You are told how much to trade for, rather then using your independent reason to make the judgment of how much it should be traded for. If you defy, you are arrested. The government points a gun at both of the traders heads and tells them how to trade. That is the evil of socialism - force. Coercion. The invalidation of individual reason. Hate. Malice. Altruism.

You must make the choice between the Gun and the Dollar. There is no other. Be quick - Time is running out.
 
All Else Failed said:
so you admit capitalism uses force

then why do you pick on socialism so much
Click to expand...

Because Capitalism uses force to negate force, it uses force against force. Socialism puts force in where there is none - between two traders. Here it is in mathematical expressions:

Capitalism:
- * - = +
Criminal Force(-) * Government Force(-) = Peace.

Socialism:
-*+=-
Government Force (-) * Trader's peace(+) = Force (-)


 
Carthage said:
Because Capitalism uses force to negate force, it uses force against force. Socialism puts force in where there is none - between two traders. Here it is in mathematical expressions:

Capitalism:
- * - = +
Criminal Force(-) * Government Force(-) = Peace.

Socialism:
-*+=-
Government Force (-) * Trader's peace(+) = Force (-)
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure there is plenty of regulation and force between two people making a transaction in capitalism.
 
capitalism is imperfect, and anyone who happily claims to be a capitalist has some issues. It is a nasty system which encourages greed, preys on the weak, and puts money above all else in the realm of human achievement.

It's also the best system (or at least part of the best system) that human society can survive in. Communism is a pipe-dream based on an irrational, idealistic view of humanity.


The best human societies combine elements of capitalism (e.g. free market) with elements of socialism (e.g. welfare). I think that's the balance that we have to look for, rather than supporting just capitalism or pure socialism.
 
DavyBoy said:
capitalism is imperfect, and anyone who happily claims to be a capitalist has some issues. It is a nasty system which encourages greed, preys on the weak, and puts money above all else in the realm of human achievement.

It's also the best system (or at least part of the best system) that human society can survive in. Communism is a pipe-dream based on an irrational, idealistic view of humanity.


The best human societies combine elements of capitalism (e.g. free market) with elements of socialism (e.g. welfare). I think that's the balance that we have to look for, rather than supporting just capitalism or pure socialism.
Click to expand...

I totally agree, good post.
 
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