On May 24, 12:03 pm, "Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)"
<
seaw...@sgeinc.invalid.com> wrote:
> > Capitalism made the West the most prosperous society in human
> > history. Socialism rendered societies incapable of even feeding
> > themselves (USSR, China, North Korea, etc).
>
> Of course, in both cases neither one was exactly what the label
> claimed. The powerful USA of the 20th century
Note that growth was higher in the 19th century than the 20th, and
there was no government intervention to speak of then.
> combined capitalism with
> governmental oversight and control that reduced abuses seen in the 1800s
> with the "robber barons
One person famously pointed out-
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/135399/cheery-capitalism/jonah-goldberg#
“Did Vanderbilt keep any of you down,” challenged Atkinson, “by saving
you $2.75 on a barrel of flour, while he was making 14 cents?”
It was/is popular for people to deride the 'robber barons', and
compare 19th century working conditions to 20th century ones, but...
Those 'hellish' 19th century factory jobs were no worse than, and in
many ways superior to any available alternatives. Don't think farm
labor was either easier or safer. People took those 'hellish' factory
jobs because they were *better* jobs than their alternatives, even
with the risks. If not in safety, certainly in reliability and
security. Farming was/is a *bad* job.
People, especially union leaders/organizers and government like to
claim that improvements in working conditions track back to them, but
this is false. Working conditions (including safety) are just one
more element in the competition of one employer against another for
good employees. Unions and government didn't create better conditions
so much as they ran to the head of the parade, and pretended to lead
it. The competition of one employer against another is the most
powerful factor in worker's favor.
> and added a very much socialist set of safety
> nets for the common folk, while the USSR and related groups took
> socialist words and concepts and used them to put a socialist face over
> a much more familiar set of corrupt central rulers.
So Soviets, et al, are inherently evil? Racism is the refuge of the
scoundrel. Ask yourself rather why the efforts of so many people (as
average, typical, well meaning, educated and intelligent in every
respect as any other large group from anywhere) with socialist beliefs
led to such poor results IN SO MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES over such a
long period of time. Stalin doesn't explain or justify China, North
Korea, Cambodia or Romania (to name just four of dozens). What is it
about socialism that attracts totalitarianism and oppression? Why is
is that supposedly 'evil' and 'selfish' capitalism leads to prosperity
and freedom for everyone while 'generous' socialism leads to
oppression, mass murder and famine?
> Socialism approaches have their place, as do capitalist approaches.
> Going for just one or just the other will spell disaster.
No. Capitalism produces prosperity and freedom. Socialism does not
and can not. GM cannot oppress me. I can do business instead with
Ford or Toyota if they get out of line. I cannot switch government so
easily. Government will send men with guns to force me to do their
will. Wal-Mart won't.