Can America give up materialist capitalism to lead the way toward a viable model of regressionist democracy?

Question

As America gives Democracy to the World based on a capitalist model have we ever considered the pace at which we would consume the World's resources if everyone adopted this model? Imagine if India and China consume at half the rate that America does? Where would we find food as well as other essential resources? Last time I checked, which was about a decade ago, America was five times smaller than China in population but consumed at five times the rate! Now that China is an emerging economy as well as India can the World sustain this growth? I don't think so! I propose the American people seek leadership that will take us down a path of regressionist politics! Refocusing America as a people on a goal of preserving the world!
Encouraging people to use less instead of more! This goes in the face of capitalism and everything that our society and government stands for at the moment! Who can lead us down a path toward self preservation not only of America but of all mankind?

Answer 1

one of my class was just talking about it the other day.

if you are talking about just the 'material goods'. i dont think that americans can give it up. we are so use to having things, getting more things... that we arent use to losing them.

in america... its always like... the bigger the better. the more the better.

so i doubt it that giving up what we have is possible.
im not saying 'every' american... but as a board view, we like to keep what we have. get more. and not lose it.
our culture has become of that.

Answer 2

The United States. Democratic status. Was the source of the controversy at Valley Forge. The founding fathers were democratic. The people who wanted a republic almost starved the entire American army out to prove their point. Then it was set up as a democracy for the people and Thomas Jefferson ended up speaking a lot about it. Then these losers called the puratins came in, representing the republic (big businesses). They fought for almost 100 years to reverse the constitution and all the equal rights stuff. Now you see it, they still try to make it a nazi or king james state. But most of what they have done is public. Because of their joker mentality, now many huge financial industry based entities have more power then people and actually contradict what America stands for. America is supposed to be a democracy, but because of the corrupt idiots who took unrestrained actions. Some things like the federal government. Even though they are a corporation. As a ruling body. It's just a mish mash of good people and dirty people who support business over people.

Answer 3

Actually Americans have 6% of the world's population but use over 50% of the natural resources, which incidentally come from the borders of the United States, that is not counting imported oil. We may have a population 5 times smaller than the Chinese, but we also feed more people in the world than any other nation. We also provide a great more of a portion of foreign aid than any other nation in the world, even though China is making inroads into Africa. If we "regress" our system of democracy or politics then I am sure we will lose our means to utilize the free enterprise system to our benefit and to the benefit of the world. We also pay much more of the dues at the UN than any other country. The government is encouraging less use of energy sources, water conservation is some areas, & our food output still feeds many extra millions in the world. During a disaster there is one thing that never goes unseen, and that is food stuffs & relief aid that reads "Made in the USA".

Answer 4

The problem with capitalism is it is based on the need for $. How do you convince corporate America to tell their stockholders they must get less profit?
China's just grinding into second gear. Watch prices as they consume more and more. We'll have to consume less and less because we won't be able to afford more as quality goes out the window.
And we'll still destroy the earth and ourselves with it.
It's like watching the cigarette manufacturers stand there and say that cigarettes are not addictive. Absolute Greed. It seems the human race cannot say, "No thank you. I have enough."
I have a solution but most people just look at me like I'm crazy. Everyone that is able must simply decided what needs to be done-most know all ready-and then not accept less from anyone. I guess we need another life changing movement here. All we have to do is change morality-our core belief system-and not accept less and the world will change. You and I can start it. Don't buy from WalMart unless we have equal trade with China, and don't buy from those irresponsible polluting companies and on and on and don't forget to say, "No thank you . I have enough. I don't want that raise."

Answer 5

Capitalism is the politics of greed, but I am not sure that I wish to change our system to either socialism or communism and that seems to be the alternatives. It hampers innovation. However the distribution of wealth in this country is horrendous, It isn't the poor, there will always be poor but the middle class is shrinking and may become instinct. This bothers me. The rich get richer the poor stay poor and the middle class is hurting, living paycheck to paycheck without ever getting ahead. In answer to your question, I certainly hope that America can change to be a positive roll modal in the world.

Answer 6

so I only read the first half of this question and if "America is 1/5th of size but consumes 5x the resources" and china's communists.... dont you think that capitalism is the way to go?? Obviously they are unable to buy/produce what they need.

Better Luck next time China

Answer 7

The way material goods are marketed has a lot to do with what people seem to want. Someone will create a product out of thin air, and the marketing man will do his damnede hardest to convince you that your life would be a hell of a lot better if you were in possession of said miracle item. Just nonsense really. You could eliminate %99.9 of the useless material crap we have available to us, people should not be conned by marketing ploy`s. I think that is the answer, enlighten people as to their gullability, then they would think a little harder about what they really need other than what they desire.

Answer 8

Good question! You'll be glad to iknow there's a small, but growing, faction within America who agree with you. Many of us listen to Public Radio Internation to keep in touch about world affairs, and try to take public transit or drive fuel-efficent cars, and in other ways try to make sure we are not any more of the problem than we need to be. It will take a long time, perhaps several generations, before these values reach a tipping point, but they may yet do so. Things that will help will be efforts of Hollywood to spread messages like the Nobel-nominated "An Inconvenient Truth," and doing what they can to make globally friendly actions not only right but "trendy," just as they helped make fur-wearing NOT trendy. It *is* possible. But it's going to be a battle.

Answer 9

When people buy material goods, they are paying the paychecks for people who make them, who distribute them, who truck them to the stores, who puts them on shelves, who delivers them to your house, who fixes them when they are broken, and who disposes of them when you buy a new, better model. China has a very, very, very, very, very, very long way to go to become a growth capitalist society.

Answer 10

No thank you...
I refuse to use less so you can use more...
The world has always been populated by the rich and the poor.
The poor are always complaining about the unfairness of it all
and wanting the rich to share the wealth...
Of course, once a poor man becomes rich, his view of the world
changes..
Equal opportunity is all that the world can offer...Not equal wealth.
Those that can...Do, Those that can't, ...Complain