Is There Such A Thing As Bad Capitalism?

Question

What would does look like if there is?

Answer 1

Take a look at the Antebellum South

Unregulated capitalism always....always...always leads to slavery

Answer 2

That depends on your definition of bad. Capitalism is the best way for consumers and producers to efficiently come together to satisfy both parties. However, it does sometimes produce some things some people would consider bad. For instance many conservatives consider pornography to be sinful... yet there is great demand, and conversly supply of pornography in capitalistic societies because of the capitalist system. In that way, some may say that other systems, such as state directed systems would be better at producing virtue becasue an all powerful state directed economy could easily forbid the production of such materials. If this was to happen though, the illegal black market would emerge, and inefficiently meet the demand for such materials... as is the case for everything prohibited in capitalists societies... such as illegal drugs, prostitution, etc.

So, it's like Obi-Wan Kenobi said in Return of the Jedi, "...you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view".

Answer 3

Capitalism is great. Its the greedy, corrupt leaders that make it bad for the majority of average citizens.

Whatever it does look like, it surely isn't paying a CEO $50 million while laying off 7000 employees.

Answer 4

It also looks like overly-greedy shareholders who don't mind gutting a company of all value just to realize a small dividend or increase in stock price.

I concur--paying upper management when common employees are laid off is bad judgement. Don't pay someone *more* than they are worth just because you think they might be a good CEO; if the company performance is up then reward them and if not then pay them only a base salary that covers their cost of living.

Answer 5

Yes, it's called "crony" capitalism: unchecked, unregulated, and benefits only those with the closest connections Consumers & shareholders are the lowest priority. Look at "Communist" China as the prime example.

Answer 6

Exxon-Mobil charging me three dollars a gallon for gasoline while they gave their outgoing CEO a hefty half billion dollars. Health care that half of America can't afford. Credit card companies charging people with one late payment thirty two percent interest, even if it wasn't the credit card you were late on. Mergers where it benefits the companies more than the consumer, and the hard on I got last Saturday from viagra but couldn't contact my doctor after six hours, so I called the newspapers and the Guinness book of world records.

Answer 7

If they gain it through fraud, government, or force then yes. But this doesn't just come from the bigger guys, it comes from the little guys as well.

The reason corporations are gaining power is because we allowed government into the market place. They make laws and give privileges towards the ones that represent them.

Answer 8

No such thing. There is only bag government making bad laws and attempting to control the uncontrollable.

Answer 9

It might look very similar to the corporate capitalism we practice in America.

Corporations are getting as powerful and large as Governments....if not larger because they are not confined to physical borders.