Do we have capitalist or a centrally managed/ communist country?

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
Yep, Brits, Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders on ATS seem much happier with our lot than the average US poster.
They call us slaves to the Crown, I prefer the term peasant, but one thing is for sure being a peasant in our countries is much better than a peasant in the US.
Universal healthcare, welfare benefits , employment laws stopping people being fired on a whim or forced to work long hours, sick pay, 6 weeks paid holiday, very little police brutality, tax funded social care for the elderly, bail from police arrest without having to put up any money, heck I could go on the list of 'socialist' perks for our peasants is long.

About the only 'freedom' I see that US citizens have is we can only own shotguns and rifles, not hand guns and AR15's etc. Wow such oppression lol, oh and 'freedom of speech' like a US person can post online about gassing Jews or whatever without fear of being prosecuted. None of that bothers me, the overall package in my society is fine as far as I see it.
We can even cross streets wherever we like so long as we decide it is safe to do so. The jaywalking laws are the ultimate in nanny state lol

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I actually like the human farm , were just animals and our farmers just keep us satisfied.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
Haha yes, that's a good way of looking at it
Another crazy one is we can leave our farms and join another one without being taxed on our income in the new ranch.
The US is the only major nation which taxes income earned overseas. The only way to avoid the tax is to revoke citizenship.
Land of the free my arse.

originally posted by: toysforadults
a reply to: makemap

needing money doesn't change anything though, the core tenant's of communism are government planning and ownership of production

although they don't directly own everything they centrally manage the entire economy as does the federal reserve with a psuedo free market corporatist/ communist system

In the US we seem to have a Communist inversion, instead of government planning and owner of production we have corporate planning and owning of the the government. Is there a technical name for this???

a reply to: pointessa

Oligarchy, or more recently known as a plutocracy...

a reply to: pointessa
I'd say it is similar in most nations now, the politicians are in the pockets of big corporations.
The banks own Britain for sure, government is almost an illusion.

a reply to: toysforadults

The American economy is not managed by the government. It is managed and controlled by the corporations, as is the government. There is a very big difference.

Despite what the dependant class says, not everyone living in welfare states like being infanitilized and made impotent by a government bureaucracy.

The US was supposed to be a beacon of freedom, but with the bailouts, it became apparent that this wasn’t true.

a reply to: NiNjABackflip
Impotent? LMAO, impotent is not being able to work in another country without Uncle Sam taxing you a second time. Oh, you can relinquish citizenship if you want to be free of that though.
Brits are free to leave our cage and earn whatever we like in another cage without paying a penny to the UK government.
Land of the free my arse.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: NiNjABackflip
Impotent? LMAO, impotent is not being able to work in another country without Uncle Sam taxing you a second time. Oh, you can relinquish citizenship if you want to be free of that though.
Brits are free to leave our cage and earn whatever we like in another cage without paying a penny to the UK government.
Land of the free my arse.

But they wouldn’t, because their daddy the state provides for all they need where they themselves cannot. Throw on top of that the EU, their unelected leaders, and they might as well remain in diapers their whole lives.

a reply to: NiNjABackflip
Lol, millions of Brits live and work abroad, and they don't get taxed a second time like Uncle Sam does to US citizens.
The only major nation in the world which taxes overseas earnings lol, yeah land of the free.
Many Brits work in arab nations, earn their fortune tax free over there and come back to be kings in their own castle with not a penny to the government.
Your idea of 'freedom' seems strange to me.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: NiNjABackflip
Lol, millions of Brits live and work abroad, and they don't get taxed a second time like Uncle Sam does to US citizens.
The only major nation in the world which taxes overseas earnings lol, yeah land of the free.
Many Brits work in arab nations, earn their fortune tax free over there and come back to be kings in their own castle with not a penny to the government.
Your idea of 'freedom' seems strange to me.

I’m not talking about freedom, I’m talking about dependency. It won’t be long until the welfare states are bankrupt, and their wards, after generations of dependency, will be like children when they find out no one isn’t going to take care of them anymore.

a reply to: NiNjABackflip
Which 'welfare states' do you mean? States in the US or nation states?
The US has plenty enough money to provide a basic decent standard of living like in Europe. Healthcare would be a good start in my opinion, I can't imagine the fear of going bankrupt over medical bills.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: NiNjABackflip
Which 'welfare states' do you mean? States in the US or nation states?
The US has plenty enough money to provide a basic decent standard of living like in Europe. Healthcare would be a good start in my opinion, I can't imagine the fear of going bankrupt over medical bills.

Welfare state


I don’t believe a government should provide for its citizens.

originally posted by: NiNjABackflip
I don’t believe a government should provide for its citizens.

Okay, who builds your highways and protects your borders then?
Is it only certain things you don't want government to do?
Seems odd to me but I live in a welfare state which is doing okay so I don't understand not caring for fellow citizens through taxation. It's normal for me and taxes are not really very high until you are a big earner.
Different perspectives is all, I'm glad folk don't go bankrupt here because of medical bills. We will of course never find agreement but interesting to see how we differ in outlook as human beings.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy

originally posted by: NiNjABackflip
I don’t believe a government should provide for its citizens.

Okay, who builds your highways and protects your borders then?
Is it only certain things you don't want government to do?
Seems odd to me but I live in a welfare state which is doing okay so I don't understand not caring for fellow citizens through taxation. It's normal for me and taxes are not really very high until you are a big earner.
Different perspectives is all, I'm glad folk don't go bankrupt here because of medical bills. We will of course never find agreement but interesting to see how we differ in outlook as human beings.

Yes, a government is supposed to defend the freedom of their citizens.

Taxation isn’t caring for fellow citizens. When people believe they care for others by paying taxes, it just goes to show how far the sickness has spread.

a reply to: NiNjABackflip
As I said, we will never find agreement but thanks for sharing your perspective. Alternative opinions are always interesting.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: NiNjABackflip
As I said, we will never find agreement but thanks for sharing your perspective. Alternative opinions are always interesting.

With the ever-aging population, I think you’ll agree with me sooner rather than later.

With freedom and justice for all...

Think about those two opposite ideas being played out in our daily lives.

Essentially saying you are free to be subject to the justice system at your own peril.

Those two opposing viewpoints pretty much nullify each other leaving us with a specific set of things we are allowed to do.

Plutocracy

noun
•government by the wealthy.

•a country or society governed by the wealthy.

•an elite or ruling class of people whose power derives from their wealth.

That is what kind of nation we live in.