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#181
02-18-2007, 08:13 PM
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Re: A Problem I See With Pure Capitalism
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] You are assuming that the definition of capitalism is a system whereby people "selfishly maximize their own gain." That is not the definition. The definition I use is that it is a system where all human interaction is mutually voluntary. [/ QUOTE ] Redefining words makes things really easy, doesn't it? "You're charging me with 1st degree murder? You say murder is where 'someone's life is taken by another.'" But that's not the definition. The definition of murder is if I give them a bouquet of roses. See I didn't murder anyone." [/ QUOTE ] The definition that would fit the context of the original post is "economic freedom", since it is economic freedom which "allows diamond toilet seats to exist". If people are free to make/sell/trade/own diamond toilet seats, then they are "allowed to exist". So, regardless of how one defines capitalism, the point is whether or not you favor or oppose laws that would restrict a person's freedom to make/sell/trade/own diamond toilet seats. In the absence of such law, they would be "allowed to exist". And, in common usage, every country in the world with a relatively free economy is referred to as "capitalist". 
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#182
02-18-2007, 11:48 PM
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Re: A Problem I See With Pure Capitalism
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] You are assuming that the definition of capitalism is a system whereby people "selfishly maximize their own gain." That is not the definition. The definition I use is that it is a system where all human interaction is mutually voluntary. [/ QUOTE ] Redefining words makes things really easy, doesn't it? "You're charging me with 1st degree murder? You say murder is where 'someone's life is taken by another.'" But that's not the definition. The definition of murder is if I give them a bouquet of roses. See I didn't murder anyone." [/ QUOTE ] This rings a bit hollow coming from a guy who says that two guys deciding on where to go to lunch are forming a government.
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#184
02-19-2007, 12:27 AM
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Re: A Problem I See With Pure Capitalism
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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Politics Forum North. I hope you enjoyed your stay. [/ QUOTE ] I can't wait for DS to start a thread about $100 hot dogs.
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#186
02-19-2007, 04:59 PM
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Re: A Problem I See With Pure Capitalism
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I've touched on this subject before but I will make it more explicit. If you accept the premise that society is better off in the long run if everyone is trying to selfishly maximize their own gain, what argument can you make against criminal behavior, to those who are in situations where the "trickle down" effect does not figure to reach them in the forseeable future? Put another way, it seems to me that there are two reasons why poor people should not steal even if they are sure they will not get caught. One is that they are in a system that will have a good chance of elevating them to a greater degree than another system would. So they shouldn't be a party to disrupting it. The other would be if the system frowns on people who live in lavish luxury and do nothing to help the downtrodden. But say you are in a miserable situation (especially if it is due to little fault of your own) and the architects of your economy say there is nothing wrong with someone owning diamond toilet seats if they can afford it. And go on to justify this stance with the explanation that most poor people will do better in such a system. Then if you are not likely to be one of the poor people who benefit, why not steal from the guy with the toilet seat if you can get away with it? [/ QUOTE ] This is the obvious reason that the U.S. is not a purely capitalistic economy.
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#187
02-22-2007, 10:25 AM
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Re: It\'s Alive !
If you were preparing to spend the rest of your life on a deserted island how much money would be take with you?
If you were stocking your fall-out shelter for a coming catastrophe that would wipe out at least 99% of human life, how much space would you allocate to money? In our complex financial system, there are ways in which money behaves like a commodity, but the differences are still significant, IMO. Failure to recognize them can lead to confused thinking.
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#188
02-22-2007, 11:19 AM
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Re: It\'s Alive !
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If you were preparing to spend the rest of your life on a deserted island how much money would be take with you? [/ QUOTE ] I would reserve the same amount of space in my suitcase for money as i would for TVs, gold, and frozen orange juice concentrate. [ QUOTE ] If you were stocking your fall-out shelter for a coming catastrophe that would wipe out at least 99% of human life, how much space would you allocate to money? [/ QUOTE ] I'm not going to have any room for money with all the grand pianos and vacuum cleaners that i have stocked up.
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