Is capitalism bad?

bedub1 · Post by **bedub1** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:14 pm

What do you think? Is it evil and greedy or good and rewarding?

the.killing.44 · Post by **the.killing.44** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:17 pm

Definitely not. What type of economy got us through the Industrial Revolution and essentially advanced society to what it is?

beezer · Post by **beezer** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:17 pm

Good and rewarding

jay_a2j · Post by **jay_a2j** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:21 pm

Capitalism is good, greed is bad.

Phatscotty · Post by **Phatscotty** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:24 pm

Is anything perfect? I dont care what system you want to call it, if a person can be rewarded for the work they do and have a shot to improve and succeed or fail on their own work, I'm ALL for it. It's the human dream

targetman377 · Post by **targetman377** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:24 pm

what is your motavation to advance society if you do not get a reward?

Phatscotty · Post by **Phatscotty** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:27 pm

targetman377 wrote:what is your motavation to advance society if you do not get a reward?

no logic allowed!

jay_a2j · Post by **jay_a2j** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:28 pm

targetman377 wrote:what is your motavation to advance society if you do not get a reward?

hecter · Post by **hecter** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:31 pm

jay_a2j wrote:Capitalism is good, greed is bad.

Capitalism is based on greed.

2dimes · Post by **2dimes** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:32 pm

jay_a2j wrote:
targetman377 wrote:what is your motavation to advance society if you do not get a reward?

What's? "Being a doctor instead of the poop-smith!" Alex.

jay_a2j · Post by **jay_a2j** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:33 pm

hecter wrote:
jay_a2j wrote:Capitalism is good, greed is bad.

Capitalism is based on greed.

No, its based on a free market and competition.

Well at least we all know who voted "yes" now. :lol:

spurgistan · Post by **spurgistan** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:36 pm

targetman377 wrote:what is your motavation to advance society if you do not get a reward?

compassion for your fellow man? jesus?

jay_a2j · Post by **jay_a2j** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:38 pm

spurgistan wrote:
targetman377 wrote:what is your motavation to advance society if you do not get a reward?

compassion for your fellow man? jesus?

OFF to the Goolog! (yeah I spelt it the way it sounds cause I ain't Russian)

spurgistan · Post by **spurgistan** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:41 pm

I'm not saying capitalism is inherently bad (i might, though) I just disagree with the belief that man is inherently selfish. for a couple hundred thousand years, we were communist. unless you believe Lucy and Ardi had a thriving oyster exchange.

edit - ok, so they weren't really technically human, and lived more than a couple hundred thou years ago. think about your great-great-great-great-great-great-great^20 grandfather.

jonesthecurl · Post by **jonesthecurl** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:46 pm

Capitalism is not bad.
That is not the same as saying unregulated, unrestrained capitalism with no checks and balances is good.

Phatscotty · Post by **Phatscotty** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:53 pm

jonesthecurl wrote:Capitalism is not bad.
That is not the same as saying unregulated, unrestrained capitalism with no checks and balances is good.

greenspan dropped the ball, and rubin, and summers. They sniffed their own BS and...kinda liked it

jay_a2j · Post by **jay_a2j** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:24 am

jonesthecurl wrote:Capitalism is not bad.
That is not the same as saying unregulated, unrestrained capitalism with no checks and balances is good.

Just as long as the regulations and checks and balances are built within and DO NOT come from government.

Woodruff · Post by **Woodruff** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:31 am

bedub1 wrote:What do you think? Is it evil and greedy or good and rewarding?

No to both. And Yes to both. And a very firm Maybe, as well.

(A dumb question is what it is.)

spurgistan · Post by **spurgistan** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:45 am

jay_a2j wrote:
jonesthecurl wrote:Capitalism is not bad.
That is not the same as saying unregulated, unrestrained capitalism with no checks and balances is good.

Just as long as the regulations and checks and balances are built within and DO NOT come from government.

But what if they don't "self-regulate?" As they very very very rarely have?

Army of GOD · Post by **Army of GOD** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:47 am

5.

I think.

I probably forgot a negative sign somewhere...

AlgyTaylor · Post by **AlgyTaylor** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:19 am

Think the idea of having a political ideology 'good' or 'bad' is a bit of a strange one.

Capitalism - yeah, it's good at some things (offering choice, maximising production) and bad at others (a fair distribution of wealth, doesn't "think" about the consequences of it's actions).

The key, I think, is to know what things you should take a capitalist approach to and which things to take a socialist approach to (and which things to ignore both ideologies).

Generally in my book - goods (clothes, TVs etc) should be generally capitalist
Services should be socialist (healthcare, public transport, law enforcement etc)
Resources should be socialist (ie restrictions on how natural resources are used - otherwise the system will trend towards using up everything as quickly as possible, which is rarely the best way to go about things)

Nobunaga · Post by **Nobunaga** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:41 am

AlgyTaylor wrote:Think the idea of having a political ideology 'good' or 'bad' is a bit of a strange one.

Capitalism - yeah, it's good at some things (offering choice, maximising production) and bad at others (a fair distribution of wealth, doesn't "think" about the consequences of it's actions).

... A fair distribution of wealth? With capitalism, personal income will be determined by the demand for one's skills, no? Those with in-demand skill sets will make more than those with no training. This is bad?

... Or are you thinking of CEO types, raking in millions while smoking fat cigars and drinking cognac, laughing at the pitiful wretches working under them?

...

Frigidus · Post by **Frigidus** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:17 pm

Nobunaga wrote:
AlgyTaylor wrote:Think the idea of having a political ideology 'good' or 'bad' is a bit of a strange one.

Capitalism - yeah, it's good at some things (offering choice, maximising production) and bad at others (a fair distribution of wealth, doesn't "think" about the consequences of it's actions).

... A fair distribution of wealth? With capitalism, personal income will be determined by the demand for one's skills, no? Those with in-demand skill sets will make more than those with no training. This is bad?

... Or are you thinking of CEO types, raking in millions while smoking fat cigars and drinking cognac, laughing at the pitiful wretches working under them?

...

Some feel that people should not languish because they don't have the right skill sets.

Nobunaga · Post by **Nobunaga** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:40 pm

Frigidus wrote:
Nobunaga wrote:
AlgyTaylor wrote:Think the idea of having a political ideology 'good' or 'bad' is a bit of a strange one.

Capitalism - yeah, it's good at some things (offering choice, maximising production) and bad at others (a fair distribution of wealth, doesn't "think" about the consequences of it's actions).

... A fair distribution of wealth? With capitalism, personal income will be determined by the demand for one's skills, no? Those with in-demand skill sets will make more than those with no training. This is bad?

... Or are you thinking of CEO types, raking in millions while smoking fat cigars and drinking cognac, laughing at the pitiful wretches working under them?

...

Some feel that people should not languish because they don't have the right skill sets.

... And some feel they should be rewarded for time, sweat, effort and sacrifice made to gain their skill sets.

...

2dimes · Post by **2dimes** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:49 pm

I'm eutopic, I would like to see those who did more rewarded but I don't like the thought of someone being left in the gutter. Typically they got there because of mental and emotional problems. Sometimes with a little help up they become hard working valuble members of the society machine again.