Off Topic — HabitableZone

Off Topic » in reply to It's all circular

re: Unbridled capitalism
Tom Brosz — (archived)

Unbridled capitalism is similar to communism (at least the Russian version). The monopolists become like the Commisars. Competition is stifled and workers become slaves.

Government has a role to keep things fair and competitive. Innovation plays a big part. Remember that Gates and Jobs started in a garage less than 20 years ago.

The idea that capitalism would go to hell if it wasn't for the benevolent government is largely a myth. The abuses of capitalism in the past can almost always be traced to the crooked capitalist and the government being in bed together to stifle competition and use state force to maintain the power of the so-called "capitalist." Check out the history of Union and Central Pacific sometime. Compare it to the history of the Great Northern railroad.

It is interesting that the personal computer and gaming industry developed almost completely independently of government regulations to keep things "fair and competitive." Only recently was the government finally harnessed by angry competitors to try and wreck Microsoft, which previously had little or nothing to do with campaigns or other government activities. Not so now, and those competitors may regret this someday.

It is glaringly obvious that nations that promote free markets and free minds are orders of magnitude more prosperous--across the entire income range--than those that think the role of the state is to "manage" productivity. All philosophy aside, the fact that capitalism works should say something for it.

Many nations, like some in Europe, continue to try and find the "perfect balance" between freedom and totalitarianism. It just doesn't work that way, and I'm continously amused by countries like France, with their crappy economy, telling us how it is.

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