There has been much discussion of the current economic system in the western world, capitalism. This is mainly because of the growing anti-capitalist movement. However, as the owners of the free media are the wealthy, the anti-capitalist side of the debate has not been fairly covered. This list is not to suggest a viable alternative, although there are many. It is merely to cover the disadvantages of the current system, which have often been ignored by the media and governments.
The common capitalist mantra that “anyone can be rich if they work hard enough” is a fallacy. There’s only so much room at the top. In order to make money, first you have to take it from someone else. This can be done through selling things, taxation or any other means. But this means that the rich cannot exist without the poor. Any way you look at it, there’s never going to be equality under capitalism.
In a society where resources are not evenly distributed, there is always going to be the wealthy who have an excess of resources. While occasionally these resources are given to the poor, often this excess is wasted. Millions of dollars worth of food is wasted by those who have more than they need, while there are many others who desperately need it.
Of course, if some have an excess of the resources in society, there are others who do not have enough. In Third World countries, many are starving because they cannot afford to feed themselves, while those in Western countries fatten themselves with an excess of food, and waste the rest of it. There is enough food in the world to feed the entire world population.
Under a capitalist system, the profit motive is far greater than altruism. If people are worried about what’s in their own pocket, they will avoid helping their fellow human beings because they’re concentrating on looking after themselves. People feel the need to put themselves first because they think no-one will be there to help them if they lose all their money.
Often companies will cut corners in health and safety restrictions, because it costs them less to pay off the families of those who die in industrial accidents. Often staff are not properly trained in certain areas, or provisions have not been put in place to protect them from certain risks. This has often resulted in injuries and sometimes death.
While every individual has a single vote in a democracy, in a capitalist system, they have very little say in the actions of government. Greater influences on government than ideology or public opinion are the wealthy. Governments will listen to big business and banks because they fund their election campaigns. They will listen to big newspaper barons because they know that they can influence public opinion.
It shouldn’t be hard to convince people not to kill themselves, however, this is what companies are doing as they refuse to put in environmental measures because it will reduce their profit margins. It doesn’t matter to them that, in the long term, we’ll all be dead, as long as in the short term they’ll have the most money.
Many of the wars fought in recent years have been over profit. In Iraq, the war was largely funded by oil barons, and it was private firms who handled most of the security after the initial invasion. In Libya, western forces intervened when the civil war caused oil supplies to be cut off. They only sided with the rebels because they thought they were the most likely to win. In Iran, military intervention is being threatened over the blocking of trading routes to transport oil.
We wouldn’t stand for dictatorship in our governments, so why do we stand for it in the workplace? CEOs get paid massive salaries, and award themselves huge bonuses on top of them, while they pay their workers minimum wage. The bosses don’t do the work, they don’t produce the goods we consume, and they merely own the means of production. As for those who do? The workers don’t have any say in how it is controlled.
You cannot escape capitalism, it’s everywhere. On every billboard, on every TV program, you have someone telling you to buy something. When this is done by governments in dictatorships we call it propaganda, when companies do it, it’s called advertising. They’re both forms of brainwashing.
Nananananananananananana batman!
Vulture capitalism is not a good thing.
Number 11 should have been Mitt Romney.
The rich must give some of their money to the poor, by force if need be. That is only fair.
Send me some money
and please don’t say that you are not “rich”. Who decides who is “rich” or not?
I’m broke so by my definition anyone is “rich” including you so you must send me your money or else I’ll send the “rich” police after you.
Idiot just because they have more money than you they aren’t rich, they just have mor money than you. By those standards only the poorest man in the country would be the poor and everyone else would be rich.
That is the exact opposite of what most people would consider to be “fair.”
Apparently the occupy movement has hit Listverse. The idea that anyone can become wealthy in a capitalist society is actually quite true. The key, of course, is working hard to get there. A homeless person can get a job at McDonald’s, work hard there and get promoted, keep working hard, making connections, and continue up the ladder. But again, the key is, you have to work really, really hard at it if you don’t already have some connections.
There is no “inequality” here. You’re just lazier than the people who chose to put their life into their work and innovation. Not a single person owes you a single dollar. Deal with it and work for your lunch. Wanting handouts means you have given in that these people will always be smarter and more successful than you. Want to make something of yourself.
I don’t know why you socialists want a system of government that has been historically proven to never work since its conception. Especially since capitalism is the reason you are able to write lists on your expensive computer in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
I think you’re halfway there, it’s certainly possible for any one person to become wealthy under capitalism in that every person has the opportunity, but not everyone can be wealthy at the same time since for one person to be wealthy (ie. having more than average) another must be poor (less than average).
The inequality lies in what you pointed out yourself, some people begin with an advantage such as being well connected or having wealthy parents. Therefore while everyone has the opportunity, one set of people will have the advantage. Think of it like this, if there is a running race between two people, one with a broken leg and one being healthy, they both have the opportunity to win, but one has an unfair advantage. That’s essentially how capitalism works in practice.
The problem with this mentality is it teaches wealthy people that they have worked harder and are more worthwhile than people who are not wealthy. This is not always the case however, would you say a person who works manual labour in a factory their whole life on minimum wage worked less hard than a CEO whom inherited his father’s business? Of course they both worked, but one not only started with an advantage, he most likely worked far less hard if we are talking in terms of effort.
I find it very shortsighted to presume that if somebody isn’t wealthy then they must be lazy and that if someone desires more wealth all the need to do is work harder. I find that akin to treating a cancer patient by yelling “just go into remission already!” at them. The cancer patient doesn’t have a choice, and likewise there may not be a higher paid job available to someone seeking a promotion.
You mention the occupy movement, which I must admit I’m not familiar with since I live in the UK (I’m presuming you’re in the USA), but we have something similar to what I presume that is here at the moment. The point behind what the protesters are doing here is that they want companies to be forced to justify their senior bosses’ wages. Not every company, however, just companies whose performance affects us. It’s mostly aimed at banks and public sector contractors. To be perfectly honest, I think banks should be required to justify their bosses’ wages since they are rarely related to performance. Considering many are paid with taxpayer money, why should we pay them a bonus for failing? Maybe the movement is different in the USA.
And by the way, yes, I am a supporter of capitalism, just a supporter who accepts it’s not a perfect system and isn’t hesitant about criticizing it. Maybe that’s just a British thing?
@James: “but not everyone can be wealthy at the same time since for one person to be wealthy (ie. having more than average) another must be poor (less than average).”
There is a myth that the “pie” is only so big, which is completely false. Being successful, at least here in the USA is NOT a zero-sum game.
This was beautifully written! BRAVO!
Well balanced, fair, and looked at the situation from both angles. It’s a shame that not enough people think the way you do.
Once again, BRAVO!
@diablo135 Actually, the pie IS only so big. To presume it isn’t would be to presume that a country, or indeed the world has infinite wealth. That isn’t the case. There is a finite amount of wealth in the world, that being the sum of every nation’s GDP. Let’s assume, for example, that I make a product so incredible that every person in the UK is willing to give me their entire net worth to possess it. Now you have a situation where everyone has a net worth of zero, whereas I have a net worth equal to the GDP of the UK. That means I have the entire pie. So think of what everyone else has compared to me as a percentage. I have 100% they have 0%. Now say I pick 10 people to distribute my wealth between, now they each have 10% of the nation’s wealth while everyone else has 0%. Of course that’s a stupid example, but the point is, only one person can own any given share of a nation’s GDP at one time which ultimately means that, on a much grander and complex scale, of course, that a few can be wealthy, but the fact that they are wealthy means that other people are not. It’s possible for everyone to have the same amount, but so long as one person has more than the average, it means one person must have less.
In that respect, the pie is only so big. The variable is how big a piece of the pie you have. The fault with capitalism is that your share of the pie is not always representative of your efforts. In some cases it is, but in others it isn’t. Therefore Capitalism CAN be unfair, it isn’t inherently unfair, it just has the potential to be. Like Animal Farm states: “Everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others”. That is essentially, for better or worse how capitalism works. I am all for capitalism, but I know damned well it isn’t perfect, it’s just better than the alternative in my opinion.
Simplistic bull*****. Millions work hard everyday and get nowhere.
exactly
YES! THANKS YOU! Exactly what I was thinking!
Well Said
*le sigh*
The typical high and mighty “I DO EVERYTHING RIGHT!” American mindset. UGH! Go give your little speech to the millions of Americans who work their asses off everyday and still can’t afford to keep food on the table or bills paid.
And Romney gives at least 10% to Charity…willingly. Would you be more efficient in spending his money? He actually used his money to create more (including possibly helping your 401k). Why is he bad?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFSCsnxsvIE
You forgot about the fact that capitalism explores the workers.
Explores? I think you mean exploits, exploring them implies some kind of colonoscopy :S
Explain how the worker is exploited? He is offered a wage for his skills to do a certain job. He then accepts that offer or not to do it. No exploitation.
Search for “Surplus value”.
Yeah! Search for “The invisible hand” . Surplus value is just a theory as the invisible hand. The capitalism has the advantge of freedom so if you feel exploited, search an other job, besides if exploitation exists it isn´t because of Capitalism, the real dealer here is the law or goberment,the URSS really had slaves.
The JokerThief – Choose another job? The whole point of surplus-value exploitation is that you have NO choice other than being exploited! You will have the fruits of your own work (surplu-value) taken away from you REGARDLESS of who do you work for.
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So my answer to you is: No, capitalism does NOT give you any freedom and yes, capitalism DOES causes exploitation.
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It’s like this lister said best; “If you don’t stand for dictatorship in governments then why do you stand for it in the workplace? “
If the worker is being paid less than minimum wage, no benefits, no room to grow, and not a safe work environment; that worker is being exploited.
Ok lets take this point by point.
1. Capitalism works. There is no point in arguing it. The U.S. practiced pure capitalism for only a fraction of its history and that alone gave it enough of a boost that even now, when its economy is at the lowest it has ever been, is still growing, and is still the largest in the world.
2. Capitalism does not create an inaccessible economy. Many of the greatest innovators and pioneers have been pure capitalists and have come from nothing (i.e. Howard Hughes, Ray Crock, John D. Rockefeller, I could go on)
3. Socialism/Communism does not work. History has proved it, economists have proved it, hell even simple physics proves it!
Capitalism works. It has been working, and would continue to work if the government would stop interfering. I try to see the other side of the argument, but unfortunately, being a creature of logic, cannot. Sorry.
Err, this list seems to be written by someone who does not know what Capitalism is, or has not studied it objectively. The first point shows this as numer ous economists have pointed out and proven that capitalism is not a “zero sum” game. Sad.
Half of the lists on this site are full of interesting information. Unfortunately the other half either bash the US or are blatantly pro socialist. So here we have the top 10 disadvantages of capitalism, will we (or have we already seen) a top 10 advantages of capitalism?
I know seriously? Capatalism is a proven to be the only efficient way to run a country. When the author states there are “many alternatives” does he mean communism? And I don’t think Capatalistic America is as “dangerous” as Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia was…
No economical model is perfect, that’s a given, however capitalism has proven to be the best model so far, no one ever said it was perfect, so it’s good that I’ve been told that in list form…
economic**
I agree about this list not being completely objective but capitalism has proven to be the best model so far? You have to be kidding me? It hasn’t worked at all. There are places with much greater standards of living and way better models of government. And no the answers aren’t Canada….even though Canada is pretty sweet.
JjJack, which countries are those? And capitalism hasn’t worked at all? That’s just plain rediculous to say for so many reasons.
Which non-capitalist countries at the moment have a high standard of living? Therefore as I said, capitalism isn’t perfect but it’s better than socialism will ever be.
Economic models are only successful depending on how it is done. The Indian socialist state of Kerala in India is very successful. 90% of the population is literate and have a very good social equality. Cuban population enjoys a very good social policies and the majority of the children goes to school.
Yes socialism doesn’t promote economic growth but the people enjoys good social policies. It depends on the people running the system.
that, allow me inform you just what did evdiler the results. Your article (parts of it) is definitely highly convincing which is most likely the reason why I am taking the effort to opine. I do not make it a regular habit of doing that. 2nd, although I can easily see the leaps in reason you come up with, I am not necessarily certain of exactly how you seem to connect the points that produce the conclusion. For the moment I shall yield to your issue however wish in the near future you actually link the facts better.
Let us not get into discussion of which one is better. I believe that each system has its own advantages and disadvantages. Apart from this, the success of any system also majorly depends on how it is implemented.
Coming to this list, do you disagree with any of the problems mentioned with the current economic system? I see that the list highlights some of these problems that are not acknowledged as issues by media and governments.
Why shouldn’t the policy makers and economists not look at these issues and try to solve them rather than getting offended because they show the problem with the system they made? Why should they disown the issues while they are supposed to solve them?
Way to take a stand, wuss.
We’re constantly reminded about the atrocities committed by the Nazi’s and the USSR when America has taken the lives of many many more people over the world (whether through military occupations or the funding of corrupt right-wing dictatorships to kill “terrorists” or “commies”, whichever label they feel like going with), than either Hitler or Stalin. The motive has been both monetary and ideological, it happened throughout the 20th century and is still going on today. Vietnam, South America and Iraq are some obvious examples of American intervention which led to the deaths of millions. And there’s plenty more, look it up.
The thing is, this is downplayed so much that all you sheeple don’t have an effin clue that any of it happened. Either that or you ignore it. Do you people think that because somebody has an education, a suit and a government job that they aren’t capable of lying to your sorry a$$?? Open your eyes for god’s sake.
You obviously know very little about which you speak. Monarchies, for example have existed for MUCH longer than capitalism an some of the greatest empires were constitutional monarchies (Rome, Great Britain etc.) Capitalism is a good way (still much better than socialism) but it is not the only way.
Right here:
http://listverse.com/2010/12/24/top-10-greatest-b…
@rahnsong Yes, I believe there was a “top ten advantages of Capitalism” list awhile back.
Yup. Will there next be a list or two on the “advantages to socialism/fascism/totalitarianism”, keeping in the same vein as this list?
Calling a CEO a dictator is a real stretch. Starvation in many parts of the world is due in large part to REAL dictators who funnel money their direction at the expense of their people. Who can possibly agree that’s a better option to democracy/capitalism? (I have very liberal friends and relatives who would ask for some time to think about it).
So the half of the lists u like are the pro-american and pro capitalism.
So its only hamburgers for u.
Your way or the highway.
How very objective of you,you,you,you and you.
Why do I have to study my own life? I don’t have to read form a book to see what is happening around me, to know that capitalism is unequal.
Indeed, to quote Ron Paul, this list seems to have “a confusion between Capitalism and Corporatism”. One doesn’t necessarily imply the other.
@Theltalian, I agree 100%. I’m sick of hearing all the whiners regurgitate someting they heard on CNN without thinking about how it really works. I replied to James up there the same way. He seems to think that in order for one person to have more, someone has to have less. This isn’t the stock market which IS a zero-sum game. That’s why I don’t understand why everyone thinks taxing the rich will help anything. For one, it won’t even make a dent in the debt here in the US and secondly, it’s not liek that money goes directly into any needy person’s pocket. It will jut go to the governtment coffers to be spent on worthless programs that don’t work so that union cronies can keep their jobs. I would like someone to explain to me how, by having more, someone has to have less.
As Winston Churchill once said, “Capitalism is the worst form of government, except for all the rest.”
Brilliant man, perfect quote.
*”Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others tried.” you mean.
This list is an absolute JOKE. In order to understand capitalism you have to understand at least basic economics. You cant watch a Micheal Moore movie and suddenly become an “authority” on capitalism. If you were to show this list to anyone who has studied economics in an objective way they would laugh in your face.
TourDeSomewhere on November 3, 2008 Kia is rlleay coming up… cheap, powerful and good. This has got to be the one of the best SUVs out of Korea… what else is better from Korea?
Because Socialism is so great, right?
It does for other countries
Where has socialism worked?
Sweden.
New Zealand
Netherlands
Titoist Yugoslavia
Uhm, i’m from the netherlands are we are not a socialist country..I have no idea where you got that idea from. Some aspects of our society are socialised, like our healthcare, but we are a capitalist country. Infact, we were the first capitalist nation on this planet.
And for the record, pure socialist nations have never seemed to work. And I wouldn’t want to live in one.
Where the hell did you get the idea that the Netherlands is socialist?
you have no clue about the world
None of these are purely socialist? All use capitalism really don’t they? Find me a nation that doesn’t involve capitalism at all and succeeds. I’m not saying completely free market economy is desirable, of course we need govt. intervention ie NHS in the UK but capitalism is necessary to survive
Um…New Zealand is a Democracy, and far from Socialist. DOn’t know where you got that particular idea…
@Sgt. York. You know that socialism isn’t a form of govt right?
Did you really say New Zealand? Ignorance really is bliss! New Zealand is one of the most free capitalist markets in the world. Much less restriction and intervention than the United States even.
Freaking Pathetic!
Catalonia during the Spanish Revolution
Elbonia
Not so great i think, why does everybody go capitalist,socialist or communist? I dont think capitalism is right, people who love money will put all kinds of excuses but in the end capitalism does not make people happy, and communism has never actually been put to the test, all but the last step which requires a headless government. Best thing i’ve seen so far is Tribalism, at least I consider it to be..
Tribalism? I hope that’s a joke. Do you really think you can take an evolved societal structure and chop it down to small sizes? The closest you can get to that in the United States is to vote Republican and hope that those individuals push through small government and decrease federal power. In that way smaller federal governments and perhaps smaller state controll would give power back to the local level. Other than that there is almost zero way to turn our evolved society into a tribalist society.
Wow! Have you even seen tribalism at work? Look at Somalia. Then you have countries like Ivory Coast, Rep of Congo, Nigeria, Togo which pretty much vote along tribal lines. The government and economies are a total shambles. Inequality is practically fostered. Cronyism is rampant. Wait! Sounds a bit like Communism and Totalitarianism… lol
The writer seems to have a very poor understanding of capitalism, the writer confuses capitalism with consumerism, fascism and a few other things that are not apart of capitalism.
Consumerism can be part of capitalism, but what this lister is describing is mostly corporatism, which doesn’t have to be part of capitalism, although it’s sometimes named “ultra-capitalism”.
Everyone needs to see its disadvantages. There’s a list for its advantages so I don’t get why everyone is bit*hing
Boner is a funny word.
diaherrea
Good list…..
only not…
Capitalism always leads to dictatorship, I cannot name one left wing dictator, once again interesting title, poor knowledge
Sarcasm by the way before I get pummelled with left wing dictators
Awww. But I was just about to name a slew of them…
I can name more right wing dictators than left wing dictators
Really? I’ll help… Oh, now I see your comment below. Nevermind.
The only advantages to capitalism are solely for the rich. *****ing ignorant rednecks. ANARCHO SYNDICALISM *****ES!
Completely one sided list…
Sorta says it in the title?
Givin a choice, almost all will try to/ prefer to live in a capitalistic country than a communist one…
Personally, I will prefer to be in an environment where i do have a chance of earning and enjoying that money than knowing that i may earn but not so much enjoy that money…
And i think illegal immigration to USA is much more than illegal immigration to Russia… quod erat demonstrandum…
It is good to see you back after a long time, Kabir Bhai.
Triple period after a sentence makes you seem douchy…
You can make a list named “Top 10 things that people think that is capitalism but its the opposite” out of the 10 items listed here.
god the comment section has become so petty and catty . The list was written from the perspective that most the readers believe in capitalism over communism DUH . So this list is just giving a broader and more insightful picture of capitalism . A communism disadvantage list would’ve been very “duh”. Calling this list sad is retarded , do you also cry when you stub your toe watering your spice garden sally-sass-a-lot?
The problem isn’t that the author is going after capitalism—the problem is that he does so very poorly. He speaks of fallacies, but most of the points he uses against capitalism are flaws in human behavior and not in capitalism per se. Point 2 perfectly illustrates that: capitalism leads as much to dictator-like bosses as socialism leads to dictator-like, well, dictators. War isn’t an inherent feature of capitalism, either. Why did a non-capitalist country like the Soviet Union spend 25% of its GDP on its armed forces? Point 4 is ridiculous as well. And don’t even get me started on the “anti-social” one; what’s so horrible about looking after oneself?
And I’m not saying people on the comments section are not catty or incredibly hostile to any list, period. They are. But the point of this list (capitalism is flawed) is so poorly developed that, frankly, I can’t say they’re wrong.
Completely agree. Capitalism is very close to the law of the jungle, so, if evolution worked out fine keeping the fittest, why not economy? It is flawed in some ways, but in my opinion, the author only listed one, saying it was 2 entries: waste and poor people needing. The old Offer and Demand is the basis of the system, but it does seem extreme when it applies to food, clothes, basic rights that should be at everyones reach, no matter what.
I agree with Andres, but I’ll add that these items are so broad, “pollution”, “poverty”, “war”..etc.. that actually most of them can be applied equally to Socialism, if not more in the case of poverty which seems to always be the end result of nations heading to a hard socialism. War is also the basis of socialism in a sense that many thinkers believe true socialism/communism can only be reached through violent revolution. It also strives to be universal (except the “national-bolshevik” type), hence could mostly only expand through progressive conquest of neighboring countries.
Well said, Andres. The author of this list may have had some valid points, but they weren’t well developed. You hit the nail on the head when you said that most of these are human flaws, not just products of capitalism.
1. Soviet Russia was Communist in name ONLY. The fact the State still HAD money going around and being spent (not just on the military, but at all) still meant it was capitalist; no State has ever truly achieved Communism.
2. I agree, there is certainly no shame in looking after yourself, this is part of survival of the fittest. But I think the point the writer tried to make was that Capitalism encourages people to only get more and more greedy and so self-centered to the point that entire organisations are exploiting masses of people without giving basic rights or caring for their general well being — even tribal communities (who continue to conform to survival of the fittest) still have a sense of altruism.
3. What is so ridiculous about point 4? It’s true, most of society doesn’t give a damn about the environment, as long as money keeps rolling in to keep them until they die — when they don’t need to care about environment any more.
I agree, nice to see that someone sees the whole picture, and yes .4 is NOT ridiculous, just like you said, NOBODY cares anymore. I have to say again that Tribalism is the best. No pollution, Unity, and people take care of each other. Only to care for what you need, but i guess people want shiny cars and nice stuff nowadays, that’s too bad..they’re all lies! And people are literally buying them.
Will: “…most of society doesn’t give a damn about the environment, as long as money keeps rolling in to keep them until they die — when they don’t need to care about environment any more.”
And this is an exclusive fault to capitalism? Take a look at Soviet Russia, North Korea, Pakistan, and other third world countries. Is the environment any better under their economic systems? Is the equality better? They don’t use propaganda?
The problem with a list like this is that the writer needs to include specific faults of capitalism that other economic systems do not have. The writer fails miserably at this. There’s inequality in every economic system. Furthermore the environment is rarely a concern for communist, socialist, and fascist economic based systems.
If I was going to start a list on this topic, my number one gripe with capitalism is it’s commercialisation of everything – from holidays to birthdays and beyond! Do people REALLY want to shop for Christmas items in October? It seems every event in life is completely squeezed dry for as much profit as possible.
Just my two-cents.
You are missing the point. The problem is that the lister does not offer up any “perspective.” The list is a poor representation and blatant misunderstanding of what capitalism actually is.
Then the problem is, people such as yourself take it as fact, and see the misinformation as a different “perspective.”
Capitalism is like a vending machine. It doesn’t work, but it takes your money…
Good compilation. But. lists like these do not show the other side of the coin. I sincerely wish to see 3 other lists of a similar kind
1) Advantages of Capitalism
2) Disadvantages of Communism
3) Advantages of Communism
Half ignorant people like me usually don’t take a stance unless well informed.
They already made an advantages of Capitalism list 2 years ago.
http://listverse.com/2010/12/24/top-10-greatest-b…
I liked this alot. A very astute critique of the madness that is the corporate capitalist thought construct. I sugest we look upon it as a parasitic disease meme that has infected the collective consciousness. Like Facism and other isms of politico/economic thought, this meme causes the host (you and me etc) to behave in a fashion detrimental to it’s own best interest, but in the interest of the infective agent. The corporate capitalists
You are funny.
Funny..cause its true
Copmpletely one sided! Will there be a list to the disadvantages of socialism or pros of capitalism? I could see the potential in this list but it was written so poorly and from only one point of view in the controversial topic of political systems…
Why cant we just go back to trading and bartering for goods? Fight the system!
Every system is the right system, for its time and place. They don’t work if countries just copy them from other successful nations, and they cant go on for ever because times, society and needs change.
I don’t believe companies directly finance wars, but they do influence them. And communist countries contribute a fair share of pollution as well. Although Capitalistic countries contribute much more with the US all but refusing to do something about it. You can’t really connect Capitalism to starvation either. For starvation to be eliminated you would need global socialism (or some derivative) seeing as each country would only work towards equality in its own country.
Why is everyone going on about Democracy vs. Communism though? Democracy does not equal capitalism. Democracy is a form of government while capitalism is an economic model. (True) Communism is a democractic system with a different economic model.
And I don’t want to see anyone start to point at the USSR, PRC or Vietnam as examples of Communism or I will point at Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus and Nazi Germany as examples of democracy.
This world has never seen a communist nation, only socialist ones. A communist country has no government, no personal property, and pure democracy. Communism, if it would work, would be a very fair system indeed.
It’s based on the idea that everybody should do what they can, and get what they need.
I disagree that if it would work it would somehow be fair. In a Communist society, an anesthesiologist would make the same amount of money as a garbage collector. And there is no right to personal property. Basically no matter how hard you work, it will not matter. It therefore encourages mediocrity and makes like unfair for those who work hard, and too fair for those who do not.
“It’s based on the idea that everybody should do what they can, and get what they need.”
Which would leave to a VERY boring life! It’s what killed motivation and innovation in Russia. It’s the opposite of the basic human instinct to gain respect and social standing.
So people in the Communist regime of North Korea are starving because of capitalists? Or could it be their dictator?
So Communist China isn’t the largest polluter in the world? Or is that capitalisms fault?
CEO’s are paid handsomely because the market supports it.
Undemocratic? Did anyones vote count in the U.S.S.R.?
Danger? Ask people in Venezuelan factories how safe their jobs are.
If you hate capitalism so much, move. I hear Cuba is great this time of year. Hope you know how to work on automobiles when you get there.
None of North Korea, China or the USSR are/were true communist regimes. The belief that they are is a misconception that permeates the west. They’re totalitarian oligarchies masquerading under the banner of communism as it gives them more ideological credibility. True communism on a large scale has never existed on the face of the earth.
I think people have become so accustomed to dictatorships calling themselves communists over the last 100 years they can’t tell the difference. Communism seems to be the bait to get the people on board.
Seems like Communism tends to lead to dictatorship… Or needs dictators to enforce its system which is anathema to human-nature.
Hoho! Super Hans, i agree and nice name btw
As a person who grew up in former communist country, I find this list extremely funny.
.BE CONSERVATIVE.WINAdmin II Rev. Larry Wallenmeyer.“Disobedience to tatynrs is Obedience to God.” -Benjamin Franklin.
So this is how Americans feel when we bash them every other list… Sheesh guess Ill have to stop doing it. ” anyone can be rich if they work hard enough is a fallacy.” Really? That is how the system started! The rich people today had to gain it, they worked against royalty, you know, the rich people who became rich because God said so. Maybe it is unfair, but I like celebrating merit. If we were true socialists, you couldn’t feel proud of your work because everyone would be the same. I know I wouldn’t want to study rocket science if a janitor job pays the same. In Capitalism you get what you worked for. Even if you started out with nothing, sometimes a good idea is enough and will are enough.
Well that was horribly written…did I mention English is my second language? (wishes that was true as to stop expressing stupidly…well I have been in a Spanish speaking country for the past 10 years, meaning all English interactions are either on internet or with foreign language learners… so…why am I even saying this? Stops commenting for the day.)
No, very well said. I’ve always said so myself, that if being a janitor pays as much as being an expert accountant, why would I bother with difficult studies for a just as boring but more tiring job? Hell, I’d be a life-savor on a sunny beach! Easiest job ever, you get do drink cocktails and sit around in the sun watching babes. I’d much prefer doing that than being an engineer, if the money’s the same.
Obviously, rich kids have an advantage in having a higher education in the capitalist system, because their parents finance their studies and they live in easier neighborhoods and can afford tutors and all. But capitalism does leave room for social programs, university grants and whatnot. It’s not perfect, it could be better, but for now it’s the best we got.
Makes sense, but why would you work in something that you dont like? Think it makes life miserable cause then it will be all about the money
Apparently there are much more pros to Capitalism than to Socialism. Anti-capitalism equals pro-socialism and pro-communism (pro-Hitler)!!!
10 – Inequality? – Capitalism actually promotes equality. It gives all the EQUAL opportunity for free enterprise. Thus, this must be why America is called the “Land of Opportunity”
9 – Waste? – Most entrepreneurs become successful because of what little they waste and actually make most of what they have, and because of hard work and hard earned “resources,” society will flourish, but socialism extinguishes that. Socialism creates a lazy society and creates waste.
8 – Starvation? Capitalism has always helped extinguish starvation also. Countries with much starvation are from countries with no capitalism, and American (the leading nation of capitalism) is the number one giver to those nations in aid such as Haiti (especially after the quake), Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, African nations, etc.
7 – Anti-social? Again American (the leading nation of capitalism) is the most giving nation than any other nation in the world. In the history of the world, there has been no other nation like the USA that has given as much money and even lives so that other nations/people can experience what capitalism experiences.
6 – Danger? There are regulations on everything. Probably too many regulations.
5 – Undemocratic? Remember that America is a republic, and not a democratic nation. In that being said, Our government was wisely developed so that the 51% would not rule the 49%. This is why we have Congress etc etc etc. there is more to this but it’ll take too long.
4 – Pollution? America is the leading nation in creating environmentally friendly everything. And it is considered one of the cleanest nations to live. Just compare outr streets most streets of another nation.
3 – War? Really this article has just picked our recent war on terror. Hello, That is just one war. This is unsubstantial evidence to have anything to do with a con on capitalism
2 – Tyranny? Again entrepreneurs worked hard to get where they are. Thus, they understand the hardships in building a company. That is why they are the most understanding to hard workers in their employment. This articles on tyranny promotes laziness. That’s what the unions do – promote laziness, although there is some good that comes from unions.
1 – Propaganda? This one in the article is the most absurd. This is called free enterprise; this is called trade and commerce; this is what helps circulate money through a nation so that is can produce economical growth…… this does not however stop the annoyance of infomercials on tv
RE: no. 7 – America isn’t even in the top 10 of most giving nations when you calculate what they give as a percentage of their GDP. Yes, the actual monetary amount given would exceed smaller countries such as Ireland, Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands but each of those countries give a larger percentage of their GDP to aid developing nations.
I’m not having a go at the US I’m just saying a statement like “there is no other nation like the USA that has given as much money” is a little misleading.
HAHA, US? environmentally friendly?…can’t be serious
Yes, many would say overly so with how many regulations have been put into place in the USA to regulate pollution and to try to force companies and citizens to “go green.”
I’m guessing you have never even bothered to look into the policies and you just enjoy complaining instead.
You are clearly looking at America’s current position in giving and percentages. I am looking at the overall picture of what American has done as a capitalistic state. Capitalism in the last several decades has produced more industry than any socialistic ideology you speak of. And also America today has become more and more socialistic; thus, our “giving” decreases. You clearly are looking at today’s recent numbers.
As I said, I’m not having a go at the US I’m simply pointing out that your statement is a little bit misleading in implying that the US is the most generous country when in fact it’s not even in the top 10.
I’m basing this on the percentage of their GNI which has been given to developing nations since the 1970s (which shows the US consistently in the lower end of the giving spectrum). Also, the amount of money given by the US has increased in recent years not decreased.
I still stand by my statement, but I see your argument. Thank you for pointing that out.
That’s fair enough and you’re very welcome.
Nice to have civilized little chat that doesn’t descend into name calling & one-upmanship.
If you’ll permit my brief deconstruction…
10. There isn’t a system in existence that has ever meted out true equality to the populace. There have only been varying degrees of poverty.
9. Is the implication here that when resources are evenly distributed, there is no waste? Oh, and the poor in the U.S. live better than most of the rest of the world.
8. Yeah, those famines in Africa couldn’t possibly have been exacerbated by corrupt governments and warring tribal factions…right? America alone produces enough food to feed the world at its current population. We “waste” so much of it in order to import massive amounts of unnecessary goods and food in order to sustain the world economy.
7.Um, then explain why Bill Gates is such a huge philanthropist. Or Warren Buffet.
6. Chernobyl didn’t exactly fail under a capitalist system. Neither did all that crap with Chinese lead paint in it.
5. And how well is Democracy working out in China and Cuba?
4. Yeah, sorry, but China and Indonesia are the largest polluters on the planet. I’ll let you look up what forms of government those societies run under.
3. If any of that was about oil, our gas would be cheaper. This is blatant propaganda on your part.
2. That’s just plain whiny.
1. Yeah…propaganda…see North Korea, Soviet Russia, Cuba…dude….fail, massive fail.
Nice post Sgt. York. The writer’s biggest problem is the belief in a “zero sum” game. That false premise leads to numerous false beliefs and in turn makes the writer appear ignorant.
None of the system works,capitalism. communism(not cuba not USSR nor China although they dindnt work either nor socialism) Its all about money and me me me. Its not fair ,greed will always takeover. No Harmony. People dont like when they hear it Why? Repressing something? Or looking away?
ctinonuedOur ctinonuedOur current value system is so profoundly sick, that money is the one true religion of all mankind. In our desire to become wealthy, we will screw over our best friends. We rationalize this by telling ourselves, It’s healthy competition. I’m better than him/her and I’m going to prove it. Most of us never really take a look at the effects of that thought process. It is entirely self serving. Who cares if you are the best at something and pronounce to the world that you are #1!
WOW Sgt.York you sound like a brainwash uneducated fool .Where did you go to School or did you even go ?Have you ever step foot outside you’re country or are you too poor ?
WAR -That’s just plain whiny – you are really stupid
@PlanetEarth
Shut up. The whole mightier than thee theme really isn’t working.
@Planet Earth, I’m not sure I should even dignify your idiocy with a response, but I’ve got nothing else to do right now.
I am considered lower middle class – very far from wealthy – and still I have managed to travel all over the U.S., All over Western Europe and New Zealand. That’s all thanks to the capitalist system I grew up in, causing airlines to compete with each other and offer bargains every now and then. My point is I’ve seen good chunks of the rest of the world, and I’m just above being considered “poor”. That should provide a satisfactory answer to your stupid question. As for your reading comprehension…
My “That’s just plain whiny” comment was about the list writer complaining that it’s unfair for company/corporation owners to be paid more money while (he assumes) less work. Sounds like whining to me. I have no idea what the hell you meant by “WAR”. It would seem that no matter how stupid you think I am, you are far less intelligent.
Sorry , I overreacted i though that you meant that talking about war was whiny.
Some Corporation are out of line you’re own president warn the American people. Look up General Smedley Butler .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler
or
@sgt. York – First, I am not complaining rather I am stating what I believe. I am happy that you have traveled the world – you seem to have a quite exciting life. Now I am only in my early 20’s. I have seen my parents build 2 businesses, both very successful. Blood, sweat and tears came into those businesses, which is now a corporation. They treat their employees very well, and not as tyrants. They are the hardest working people I know, and now I have seen our socialistic government regulate and regulate and tax and etc. If socialism takes control, our small business in America such as my parents will never thrive like they did under a capitalistic state. I too will like to either someday become an entrepreneur.
Now socialism discourages free enterprise. It will kill small business success, which in turn will kill economic prosperity. Socialism only works for the immediate generation or even maybe 2 generations, but it can never work for the future generations to come. We have seen this with FDR’s New Deal and the Clinton Administration.
Now my argument on tyranny – Abraham Lincoln states, “We all declare for liberty, but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things called by the same name – liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names – liberty and tyranny.”
Capitalism has always endorsed freedom, but socialism will bring a nation to its knees under tyranny. We have seen this with Russia and Germany etc. This does not mean socialism does not work, for example, China. Today, America (under a socialistic administration) is borrowing from China. But the Chinese people live under oppression. The government is thriving, but the people live in repression – this obviously is not covered in our media. They live blah lives with little to live for but their families.
http://listverse.com/2010/12/24/top-10-greatest-benefits-of-capitalism/
Great List!
This couldn’t be removed could it? I felt myself becoming less intelligant as i read through is all and im sure im not alone. Poor understanding of capitalism and pretty poorly written. I dont want people thinking this is what capitalism actually is, we live in a dumb enough society nowadays anyway without this adding to the mix.
Thumbs up to your excellent observation (we need the equivalent of a “like” button here).
LIKE
Because needing to pay to survive makes so much sense, am I right guys?
Secondly, troll list is toll.
Capitalism is nothing more than an exchange of value – a vital fact of human existence which occurs and takes place daily under every regime on Earth.
If you want to know why the rich get richer and the poor really do get poorer, look first to fiat money and legal tender laws, along with “fractional reserve lending” that finances commerce, and deficit spending that finances the warfare/welfare states. That is where the value of ALL savings and labor are deliberately taxed, siphoned away from the currency supply itself over time, by entities which dilute that supply via legalized counterfeiting – creating multiple contradictory claims on existing wealth (including savings and future labor).
That’s not “capitalism”. It’s wide scale fraud in a Ponzi scheme system where money=debt.
Or in the case of the U.S and most of Europe: debt = money.
Yep – actually, debt=money anywhere there’s an irredeemable, intrinsically worthless fiat currency, so that pretty much makes it a global phenomenon, a strong departure from the past 80 years or so.
This dumb list makes me want to kill myself.
socialism only works until you run out of other people’s money
Take note: Soviet Union was not a socialist state. It was undemocratic and inequal prison where only a small elite, members of the party, enjoyed the fruits of the poor people’s work.
So, do you Americans feel free?
Please, read the Capital before criticizing socialism.
I can’t believe everyone automatically thinks that no capitalism is equal to communism. Capitalism worked well a 100 years ago when resources where still in abundance but with the dwindling supply of oil/copper/coal etc it becomes a self-destructing mechanism. It’s absurd that the economic system is built directly off consumerism, exactly the opposite of what the word means. In this system we have to be more productive and spend more each year to keep equilibrium in our living standard. In a world with finite resources and ever increasing populace that’s an impossible equation.
This is of course not just the fault of capitalism but perhaps more of the monetal system itself but I wouldn’t exactly call capitalism ideal. Just because it’s the best of all the bad systems doesn’t mean it’s good. Anyone who thinks everyone has an equal opportunity to become rich is delusional, just doesn’t work that way. The biggest corporations have obscene amounts of power and you can be sure they will do everything to smoke out anything that is a threat to their market (and they fight dirty).
Yikes, terrible list. All ten are disadvantages of PEOPLE not capitalism.
Of course capitalism isn’t “fair” – life isn’t “fair”. Capitalism is like evolution; it’s cold, ruthless, efficient, and logical. It simply allows for individuals to profit from their own hard work/ingenuity providing there is a demand for what they’re making/selling/offering.
People are flawed & chaotic, driven by greed, emotions, and self-interest but they’re also wonderfully unique, intelligent, and resourceful. Capitalism is, so far, the only economic system which compliments these qualities rather than trying to force us into a completely unnatural way of life where everyone is equal and entitled to the same income/opportunities. Everyone is NOT equal and any economic system which says otherwise will naturally stifle creativity and ingenuity.
There’s a good reason that the success of capitalism has lead to the fastest technological advancement in the history of our species; it encourages individuality, originality, and ingenuity. What happens afterward (the corruption, greed etc) is down to people and if anything capitalism LIMITS the effects of these rather than promoting them. It’s entirely possible to excel without corruption & nepotism in a capitalist economy whereas if you have an economic system where everyone is paid the same amount and the “means of production” are controlled by “the people” (i.e. the most powerful people) then the ONLY way to excel is through corruption & nepotism.
Capitalism isn’t perfect but it’s the best we’ve got at the moment. No-one is saying that it can’t be improved upon but there’s no point denying it’s success thus far.
Great comment. I totally agree.
“like”
Interesting list. I always liked the dichotomy between the tenets of Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Angelo Oliviero Olivetti, along with the doctrines of feudalism and corporatism. Every system has a structure of pros and cons that makes for lively discussion, and i’m happy to see Listverse won’t shy away.
On a personal note, I don’t think capitalism is the best system, but it is the best we have for now. I like the system in Star Trek, but that’s Sci-Fi. Maybe one day.
Seconded!
One of the reasons I love Star Trek is the idea that humanity has evolved so much that Earth has become a utopia where everyone works for the betterment of themselves & the species and there’s no need for money. I absolutely LOVE that idea.
I’d like to think that some day we’d be able to achieve that but the pessimist in me can’t help but doubt that we’ll ever be able to do so.
Actually the system in Star Trek only exists because by that time they have invented the “self-replicating fabricator,” an as-of-yet theoretical machine that can create anything it wants including itself, which leads to a complete meltdown of monetary systems as we know it if you think about it. We’re far but relatively not too far, a few hundred years away, from this idea; however, at the moment we do not even really know if it is even physically possible yet (which in science tends to mean that it is, but it still could be impossible.) The idea is that human nature instead of the replicator producing laziness will invoke a mass awakening in creativity and ingenuity due to people’s lack of worry about surviving via money, at least some argue.
Fair point but you have to assume that we’re also a little more evolved at least in our way of thinking. Otherwise it’d be the “Apple iReplicate” and only a handful of people would have it whereas in ST everyone prospers.
that doesn’t make sense because you could just replicate one for a friend. they are self-replicating, so if one person creates one everyone has one. The entire world could chip in for one and everyone would have one, you see? Once that machine exists then monetary systems fail because anyone can have anything they want. That’s literally the sole thing that the world of Star Trek’s economy and way of betterment is based on. I highly recommend reading Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku, it talks in one chapter about the theoretical machine and its would-be implications on culture and society.
also just to be sure I hate Star Trek. I have barely ever watched it because Star Wars just *****s all over it, I understand they’re not mutually exclusive but still. Not interested. I just know about their monetary system from the book I referenced.
That’s based on the assumption that simply because one person has a self replicating replicator that all people will get one; that they will then replicate one for their friend who’ll replicate one for their friend and so on & so forth. First of all that would take a LONG time to reach everyone unless you assume there was a concerted effort on the part of governments or businesses to get the replicators to all people. Second, this is all based on the assumption that the technology, after being invented, was allowed to reach the general public. I don’t know about you but I don’t know of any government or business that would freely give away this technology knowing that it would mean no-one needs to buy anything ever again and thus causing the monetary collapse you mentioned.
So there would seem to be two options: 1.) the technology was openly available and passed around by people without any interference from governments or business which would take an extremely long time to cause the complete global economic change implied in ST or 2.) Governments colluded to spread this technology to all people. Either one of these would, it seems to me, be dependent upon a much more evolved way of thinking than we currently have where everything is proprietary and it’s all about someone having the better tech.
Thanks for correcting my original assumption though and I’ll definitely check out that book.
PS – Trek rules and Star Wars can suck its b@lls (I love Star Wars too but just saying).
The problem is we are 7 billion people in the world, any system that works on the survival of the fittest plan isn’t a good solution anymore. It invariably creates more problems than it does good. It leads to dictatorship in the business world and actually hinders technology instead of promoting it. Do you really think any multi-million company wants to change things? Do you think the pharmaceutical companies want to cure people? Hell no because they would lose a lot of money, they want you to be sick enough that you have to rely on medicine which they generously sell to you. Do car companies want cars that don’t run on oil? Hell no because they would lose a lot of money. We have the technology already to produce free energry for almost the entire world but it’s not possible because someone will lose a lot of money. Do we get better products because of capitalism? No because you make more money selling products that won’t last.
There are no ethics anymore in the corporate world because the competition is so fierce and the resources are constantly becoming more expensive. It’s not about who makes the best product anymore but who can cut the most corners. I’m not for socialism but our current system is deeply flawed for the current world IMO.
I’d rather have somebody do good for profit than do evil for good ideals.
The effects matter, not the intentions. Capitalism is the only economic system that I know of that monetarily incentivizes people to do good things for their fellow man.
Terrible list by someone who’s more interested in fighting stereotypes than in listing actual disadvantages to capitalism.
For instance: Democracy vs. Capitalism is not an accepted conflict. Capitalism is an economic system. Democracy is a form of government (just like a representative republic – the system adopted by the United States). While Capitalism is less likely to be found in dictatorships and absolute monarchies, it is not impossible. At the same time, some communism-based systems employ a very democratic approach to their decision making.
The real question is: when is Listverse going to stop letting biased amateurs publish their uninformed opinions as lists of facts?
Well maybe Capitalism is the best we’ve got going – seems we’re not trying hard enough eh?
Distributionism is a viable alternative; reward small cottage industries and tax the hell out of mega-corp. Get rid of PACS and SUPERPACS and all forms of corporate political funding. Take away their power. Small business actually employs more people than the giant companies anyway – they just throw their weight around more effectively.
I’m tired of the same folks who break the rules, making them.
Good list even if one-sided. I happen to think it’s been too much the other way for too long…. since Reagan anyway.
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php
Here’s a healthy dose of reality that blows #5 right out of the water. You’ll see that the biggest campaign contributors are unions. Teachers, public employees, steelworkers, electricians, etc… So who has all the political power?
Bad list. It took me 2 minutes to discredit just one.
Someone has been sippin the socialist kool aid without arming himself with a few facts.
Great list. I thought it was well thought out and sadly, truthful.
Love from your friendly neighbourhood anarchist.
Yeah, because dictatorships, inequalities, pollution and poor safety have never occured in communist countires.
This list is ridiculous! Half of it can be ascribed to Despotism, Elitism and Communism and for example. I bet the author lives comfortably in a nice Western country with all the fringe benefits.
Dictatorship?
Besides Chile, can anybody name one long-lasting free market capitalist dictatorship in human history?
A lot of these are applicable to many forms of government, not just capitalism. I was hoping for a more balanced list. But I’m coming to realize that listverse is going downhill, which makes me sad. The lists here used to be great.
Can anybody name one war where both belligerents had capitalist economies?
The American Civil War
Poor list but will surely insight much debate.
#3 is only partly correct. We go to war for oil only because of a LACK of capitalism here. If enviro-wackos allowed more drilling for oil here, as well as using coal to make gasoline, we wouldn’t need to go overseas for oil, hence no “oil wars.”
Another quality Listverse opinion piece
What a load of bull*****!
Starvation and poverty is a result of a LACK of capitalism and freedom in that place, not the presence of it elsewhere.
Being social or anti-social is a personal choice, and thus one of the blessings of liberty. So go away and leave everyone else alone.
Capitalism cannot exist where there is real democracy. We were engineered to be a free republic, and freedom likewise cannot exist where there is real democracy, for that is like two wolves and a sheep voting on what they shall have for lunch.
If workers had “a say” in how things were controlled, the company would fail. If they were smart enough, experienced enough, and educated enough to have a say, they wouldn’t be mere workers.
This list was apparently written by a 20 year old college student who’s getting a free ride from somewhere and hasn’t a real clue how things work. Either that, or he’s trolling.
What rank stupidity.
Well In fact it seems scholar and what first came into my mind is that students in eco or other could use this list in their essays!!
After the financial crisis, we heard that there was a need for a new system other than capitalism. Yet to date nothing has changed and a second financial crisis is on the go: Europe – France, greek etc….
This list is bull*****. North Korea, ex-URSS, Nazi Germany weren’t capitalists and in fact they fought it and were the masters of inequality, war, starvation, propaganda and every other single item in this list.
If I had a dollar for every time capitalist is blamed for socialism failures I’d be a fat film maker with a *****ty cap.
“There’s only so much room at the top. In order to make money first you have to take it off someone else. ”
I am not going to bother reading the rest of the list because this line alone proves you have no concept of how wealth works.
Here is a simple example. If you take some metal parts and a block of wood you might start with $30 worth of parts but if you take that block of wood and painstakingly carve it into a ornate it now has more value that’s the simple truth of creating wealth.
On the other side to believe that the money supply is static as this statement claims is so laughable to be astonishing to me how anyone could think it even for a moment?
Ignoring for a moment that the people who settled America did not do so with Trillions of dollars in their boats, one only needs to look at any chart showing the grows of nations finances to see that there is more money now than there was 100 years ago. This is because when you take a bunch of metal and turn it into a car you create wealth.
This argument seems the be the entire point behind groups like occupy wall street and any three year old should be smart enough to see through it.
Mr. Ryan,
It appears to me that your entire list has linked Capitalism to Government. I am afraid you have confused capitalism with “crony” capitalism. I hope you understand that the two are about as dissimilar as two subjects can be?
Wow, total bull*****.
I’m an anarchist, but number 6 is HIGHLY debatable. People get hurt at work in canada and Germany too. And job outsourcing is completely missing from your list. This isnt intelligible, it’s bashing and it’s not well thought out.
If you were a true anarchist, wouldn’t you be loathe to label yourself? Really, you don’t know what the word truly means.
Economic models don’t matter near as much as the people who control them..
I think no matter what “ism” you subscribe to, they all can be manipulated and abused without proper checks and balances..
Seriously?! Is it April 1st already?
“In Libya, western forces intervened when the civil war caused oil supplies to be cut off. They only sided with the rebels because they thought they were the most likely to win. In Iran, military intervention is being threatened over the blocking of trading routes to transport oil.”
The west sided with the rebels because the regime was commiting horrible atrocities and human rights violations.
The iran story is more subtle than you lead people to believe. Millitary intervention is being threatened because sanctions were imposed on Iran because they are continuously attempting to manufacture nuclear weapons. Iran responded to these sanctions by blocking the straight of hormuz, which is bad for the oil business ofcourse, but this is not the reason millitary intervention is being threatened.
Pile of *****e kinda list!
WRONG WRONG WRONG! Poorly thought, poorly written.
The bad seeds we are harvesting now derive by a sort of hybridation of a capitalist model with a statist-authoritary model.
One example: is unthinkable in a “clean” capitalist model for the state to found the inefficiency of the banks. This is ok in an hybrid system like that of China but not in the western world. Which is also the free world not by chance or case but because free market hold sas corollary a free state.
s.h.i.t.e.
Very good list
Don’t get me wrong, Capitalism is not necessarily a bad system, but we have too much of it. Our system shouldn’t be 95% Capitalism and 5% Socialism, it should be 50% Capitalism and 50% Socialism.
Capitalism is the key to world peace. If the world was a web of interconnected capitalist nations who all relied on eachother for trade, there would be no wars because commercial interests would be too great.
I know it might seem like these are all very bright ideas, but capitalism is much more complicated than you seem to think.
thumb up
I highly doubt that. Not that any other system seem to have a better answer, I think “world peace” is a bit further away. I think after a while some States would get disagreements about recourses. Take for instance oil. It would be cheaper if one could pump up the oil oneself rather than buying it from foreign companies. Hence, it would be easier to earn money. It would create more jobs and generally make the living standards in a country better. If a country is left without that, with just a sucsessfull war away from actually gaining it, I personally it would lead to conflicts.
One does not need to be a rocket scientist to know that a people can go to extremes in difficult times. If it was a democracy, an extreme party may get elected. If it is not, revolutions and coups can occur. Civil war also accounts to both of these.
Of course, this does not only imply to oil. It probably would to any other vital resource as well.
The resources may only be one problem in your world of capitalism, but it is and would be a huge dilemma. There may also be other big problems I am not thinking of. Now, this is completely hypothetical and maybe too one-sided, but I cannot imagine how “world peace” will be an effect of this.