Is Capitalism, the way it is now, Screwing Up The World?

[stepnw1f]

Poll question: Is Capitalism, the way it is now, Screwing Up The World?

Please explain your point of view after voting.

I think it would be constructive to look at Capitalism itself and look at how it effects our system of Government, our society, our World and especially our global environment. And is Capitalism the problem or beyond repair?

[Coventina]

1. Capitalism is a system based on infinite resources

which the world does not have.

If global warming doesn't kill us first, we are going to have to learn to share at some point.

So my answer to your quesion is that capitalism is KILLING the world.

[mattclearing]

2. Capitalism needs to be globally reformed.

People who haven't done so should check out the Corporation. Great movie, well-produced, and not very knee-jerk, which one might expect.

The main point of the movie is that the current corporate model, where shareholder profit is the highest concern of the corporation by law, is unsustainable.

Ultimately, until the corporate model is reformed to take into account the concerns of all stakeholders, it will be destructive.

Personally, I think it can work, but people have to want to make it work, and a lot of businesspeople these days can't be bothered...they don't see what's in it for them.

The more unlivable the world becomes due to corporate malfeasance, the more likely it is that they will start to reform the corporate model. Of course, by then it may be too late.

[cynatnite]

7. This I do agree with

I don't think it's realistic to believe capitalism will ever go away. In it's current state it does far more damage to people and our environment than helps.

This may be simplistic, but just as we have separation of church and state...I think there should be a separation of capitalism and the state without exception.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Capitalism, by it's very nature, is predatory. It needs to be overthrown.

As an economic system it is a dismal failure.

[DanCa]

4. Money is the root of all evil and it finally grew into a Bush. (nt)

[ret5hd]

5. i voted for socialism but...

just to be clear, socialism does not preclude/eliminate free enterprise.

[The2ndWheel]

6. I couldn't vote

Is capitalism the problem? Absolutely. But it doesn't matter what "ism" it is, it's still power, and power will do what it always does; centralize and consolidate. Which means more regulations and rules(more complex systems) as time goes on to try to keep power from doing what it naturally does, and that leads to fewer people in control. But if there are no regulations or rules, it leads to the same place, just a little quicker.

So we have two giants, government and business, always having to get bigger. The more people we make on this planet, the bigger both must become to keep some type of order. If one gets bigger than the other, we have problems. If both grow, and start working together, then we have serious problems.

I'm not one for civilization, so take my opinion for what it's worth. I'm not all that fond of centralization. In my crazy mind, a decentralized, local, human scale world with no power structures is the only way to go. But that would be quite difficult to do today.

[stepnw1f]

8. Your Opinion is Valid

Thanks.

[Rex]

9. Capitalism is just an economic system.

Greed for power and money is the real enemy.

[Greyhound]

10. Once the wall between representative government and profit

was breached, if it ever really existed, it was all over for the people.
Nothing is ever allowed to stand in the way of profit (hay maybe we've turned into Ferengi).

[Quixote1818]

11. Capitalism needs to be balanced with some Socialism

When money and power get involved they need to be checked and it seems that a nice mix of Capitalism and Socialism works best because people are NOT created equal or born into a level playing field. It's more abstract and complex than having pure Capitalism or pure Socialism. It takes human reason to calculate and debate how to keep the balance working as the economy changes as well as challenges arise.

Right now Capitalism is getting too much control and the pendulum needs to swing back.

[porphyrian]

12. 1 and 3.

Capitalism itself is not the problem. Sociopathic capitalism ala fascism is. Why is humanitarian capitalism so hard for so many to embrace? This isn't a fucking video game, the race for the high score is coming at the destruction of human lives, and one can be capitalist and find this unacceptable. The biggest change that needs to occur to prevent this is not the abolishment of capitalism, but the eradication of corporate personhood without accountability. If corporations are to have the rights of individual citizens, they must also bear the same responsibilities. As it is, they will destroy us all for their profit, and write us off as a loss on their tax forms. The fascists who enable this unconscionable activity must be stopped and held accountable.

[stepnw1f]

13. The Eradication of Corporate Personhood

I also agree. And holding those who abused our economic system need to be held accountable.

[wuushew]

15. What exactly is wrong with corporate personhood?

It allows corporations to enter into legal contracts and to have an indefinite lifespan much like governmental organizations.

To tear down large organizational structures and rebuild them every generation is inefficient and wasteful of both human effort and resources. The biggest problem today is money and corruption in politics, something that can be changed by campaign fiance reform and public financing of elections.

[stepnw1f]

17. Not People... It's a Joke!

Sorry. Show me a corporation with a moral conscious, living and breathing in a concrete manner...

I'll be waiting but not holding my breath.

[wuushew]

19. Sole proprietorships and partnerships are run by assholes too

Marley and Scrooge anyone?

Do you oppose all forms of incorporation? There are government chartered corporations like Amtrak and Public Broadcasting beyond private charities, foundations and the like.

The fact that corporations can enter into contracts also means they can be prosecuted and or sued just like individuals( in theory). The fact that enjoy undue political influence I believe is not a simple a result of the inherent nature of incorporation but rather a reflection of the decadence and graft of America at large.

[stepnw1f]

20. Sorry... Corporations Are Not Persons

If they were, it would be easier to hold them accountable.

[porphyrian]

23. More corporate apologism...

If corporations want equal rights, then they should have equal responsibility and accountability. Certainly you can see where the current terms of corporate personhood have gotten us today. Or perhaps you feel that, like the aristocracy who invented the corporation in the first place, that those with wealth are entitled to special treatment?

[porphyrian]

22. The problem isn't corporate personhood itself...

...it's that corporations aren't held equally accountable for their actions as individual citizens. If a man murders five people through criminal negligence, that man goes to prison and maybe faces the death penalty. If a corporation murders 500 in the same manner, they declare bankrupcy, the executives give themselves a raise and a fat severence package, and start a new corporation under a different name. Corporations do NOT deserve civic benefits without equal civic responsibility and accountibility. Don't defend those fuckers.

[Protagoras]

14. Thom Hartman said it well the other day

People have confused capitalism (an economic system) with Democracy (a political system).

Until we learn the difference we're screwed. We've attempted to turn Capitalism into a hybrid of Political and Religious systems that has completely lost any sense of why it should exist.

Moreover, we're only married to the word...few if any of the ideas below it...since competition scares the living crap out of us. And Capitalism is supposed to have that whole competitive marketplace idea underlying it all...and that's the last thing that these Multinational Corps want.

Corporatism is what is destroying this world. And it's doing so using the Clothing of Capitalism...but it's really just greed and power...with any rationalizing philosophy it needs in the moment that will suit its purpose.

They could call it Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, or Christianity..in the end they are just terms being used by a few to concentrate wealth and power at the expense of the masses.

[stepnw1f]

18. I Listen to Thom Daily

I do know the difference. That much I do know.

[JanMichael]

16. I voted "Screw it"

I'm done with the fucking giant swindling machine.

[YapiYapo]

21. Capitalism need growth

Therefore it can only fail in the long run.

The fall may come sooner than expected due to an energy crisis and wars for ressource control.