Communism and Capitalism - Bastard twins

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: 19Bones79

Get your terms straight before sh*tting on capitalism first of all. You are 100% wrong about capitalism.

"Crony-capitalism" is what you are describing, not Free Market Capitalism.

What is Free Market Capitalism?

Is that how I went from $180 to $240 invested in two days last week by buying shares in a stock that lots of people were buying because of good news regarding the company? Then I sold them the next day before they dropped a couple bucks when reality set in because I was watching it in real time?

I don't even know who they were, something about covid vaccines. I can totally live with this free market stuff.

originally posted by: 19Bones79
a reply to: FamCore

How do you prevent capitalism from becoming crony capitalism?

You hold elected officials accountable for their policies and tighten the leash on public spending & punish public servants who pass legislation based on private interest groups/lobbyists

a reply to: FamCore

Where is this wonderful place?

a reply to: 19Bones79

I find moderation to be the best balance.
You speak of dual extremes.
A strong middle class has historically been
the moderate solution.

Neither extreme communists nor extreme capitalists
favor a strong middle class.

It is a threat to their lust for control and greed.
Brush up on Aristotle. This is not new.

S&F

a reply to: Wildmanimal

Moderation has become an idealist viewpoint.

Moderation in one way or another can never last.

You can stave off extremes but you have only kept the wolves at bay for today.

They get to take pot shots on a daily basis.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

Ronald Reagan

a reply to: 19Bones79

Moderation is Sanity.

So yes, it is a constant battle
against Insanity.


True are your words about Freedom.

a reply to: 19Bones79

I'd say that in the West we are less capitalist and more corporatist now.

Look at the vast number of laws that get made, they seem to restrict individuals and protect large corporations.

For example, back in the day, Harley Davidson's were created by 2 brothers and their mate in a shed, they made bikes up and sold them.

Now, if you want to make a new bike, you have to pay something like half a million quid in type approval, which involves crash tests and stuff. Only a big, multinational can afford that for every model.

So we well never see some upstart company making bikes or cars and innovating without being strangled by regulations and the caution of their financial backers.

And yes, I know about things like Teslas, but that's sort of the point. I am sure there are people who could make better electric cars than tesla do, but they just don't have the money to satisfy the regulators.

a reply to: SprocketUK

I agree with your assessment. I still wonder why this is the path the river chose to flow.

The path of least resistance?

a reply to: 19Bones79

The big, rich companies can hire armies of lawyers to make their case. The politicians are from a similar background to the lawyers...The little guy has no one.

originally posted by: 19Bones79
a reply to: SprocketUK

I agree with your assessment. I still wonder why this is the path the river chose to flow.

The path of least resistance?

When lobbyist for the corporate oligarchy make governmental decisions against the welfare of the citizens...that's not capitalism.

When WS speculation is the OP and kills the supply and demand system....that's not capitalism

Bail outs, to big to fail socialism for the the corporations....that's not capitalism

And all paid for by the American taxpayer...WTF!!

a reply to: olaru12

When a priest molests a child it's not catholicism either.

The fact remains capitalism is a hunting ground and perfect habitat for predators. What has happened in the United States happened for a very good reason. It was willing and able. Capitalism evolves into corporatism.

Football has brawls, but imagine a game consisting of 10% football and 90% brawling.

It's still a football game.

Neither one will work on it's own. We need a mix of both.

Socialism for our needs

Capitalism for our wants.

a reply to: sligtlyskeptical

How has it becone this complicated? In order to progress we would need to reinvent the wheel.

Everbody forgot the basics.

a reply to: 19Bones79

In order to survive, or at least for our respective societies to remain intact, we will need to change.

It's inevitable you see, and you either roll with the change, or it rolls over the top of you.

Progress only has one direction, that being forward.

The problem with the basics is that they were pretty flawed, to begin with.