Capitalism and stuff?

Question

Socialism vs. Capitalism. What do you think is better and why?

Answer 1

The two belief systems are diametrically opposed and there has never been a successful system that blends the two. Fascism is a blend of the two and you can see from its history how poorly it has worked.

There is a great little online test you should take which can explain better than I why capitalism works and socialism fails.

http://www.opinioncenter.com/capitalism/index.htm

This is a solid explanation of the economic theories and why socialism fails every time.
http://www.fee.org/publications/the-freeman/article.asp?aid=4014

and this is a very good treatise on the morality of each system and why socialism is immoral
http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/onprin/v1n3/thompson.html

I have found throughout life if we become insular and do not study the opposing position from our own we will fail to change. So many on the socialist side of the argument will NEVER read anything opposing their world view, which could explain why people are still asking the questions about socialism instead of coming to the realization that it is a failed philosophy and move on.

Answer 2

my opinion, i suggest, is of little weight in the matter.

the experiment that, imho, mattered in this is/was what I call "The Experiment of the Two Germanies".

After 1945 two separate nations were set up, East Germany and West Germany. One featured state socialism [all socialism is state socialism, since it requires the power of the state to force the people to turn over their businesses to the state as they won't otherwise do so] and the other partly free enterprise.

The two states were originally quite equal. Both spoke German and were quite literate. Both had 'smashed flat' economies with no jobs, foreign money, and ruined factories. They had previously been part of the same nation. The finest universities and cultural centers were, arguably, in East (socialist) Germany.

After two generations, the people of the socialist state spontaneously revolted against their own military and toppled the government because, in large part, they could see that their cousins in West Germany had four times their average family income.

Very much the same scene is playing out in divided Korea. The socialist dictator is maintained in power by the Army. Meanwhile, the people are starving and would leave en mass for the south if they could.

So it seems to me that the people of both nations are doing their best to tell you the answer -- socialism is an economic failure.


Does this help?

Answer 3

Capitalism.

Socialism is little more than thinly disguised fascism.

Socialism burdens the hard-working, successful people involuntarily with supporting the lazy, the sick, the elderly and the young.

I support social programs and charity towards assisting those in need, but a capitalist system allows this to occur while a socialist system demands it and punishes hard work.

I'm sorry but I should be free not to pay for freeloaders if I don't want to. If I have the cash, I can spread it around.

Who do you think contributes more to charity? Bill Gates and Bono (capitalist profits), or Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales?

Answer 4

I think the best system is our free enterprise system. The only think worse than a corporate bureaucrat is a government bureaucrat. Small business is the backbone of this economy. Look at WalMarts recent performance. And look at what WalMart has done to the Main streets of America.

Run 10 or 15 small merchants out of business, pay low salaries to part time employees, and ship the profits to Bentonville, Arkansas. Maybe we should put a cap on total employees and size of mergers.

Answer 5

Capitalism. People are inherently cruel and ambitious, and this let's people prosper of others ambition. In capitalism, I benefit directly by Steve Job's quest for wealth, as I am using a cheap, good Mac. In socialism, they hinder the progress, and they would have a more expensive, worse computer made of beets.

Answer 6

One is a political philosophy

One is an economic styling

Our political makeup is a Constitutional Republic, our economy is based on capitalistic ideals