Godless Capitalism

[Blue Meany]

This phrase seems to sum up a lot of what's wrong the economy: capitalists unconstrained by any moral compass, social obligation, or "the fear of God." I suggest using this as a meme to refer to the predatory capitalism than predominates in the political economy today, as a contrast to local businesses that serve and are part of their communities.

[Mojambo]

1. You don't need God to have a moral compass. n/t

[prairierose]

2. That is quite true but for those faux christians who believe ...

that business in this country can do no wrong and must never pay taxes, I think it could be an effective frame.

[vrp]

7. banksters

Yes, what the banksters and global capitalists are doing is immoral, but we're in trouble if we try to invoke god.

[Blue Meany]

8. This was the idea...to start dividing evangelical Christians

from the rich Republican base. Capitalism can framed as a materialistic, godless religion just the same way the Marxism was, but I would prefer to find a way to divide capitalist businesses that operate in an ethical manner and provide services and goods without profiteering from those that are more purely capitalistic and therefore are driven by profit alone.

[vrp]

3. Is god really watching?

OK, interesting concept...however, your idea seems to suggest that the only way to be a good steward and serve the community is to be of the religious sort. Nothing could be further from the truth, and it's bound to fail. Isn't that the primary difference between conservatives and liberals? If we act because god is watching, then we're acting out of fear. For me, the liberal world view is that philosophy looks forward, not back. The worn out world view that suggests that the economy, if left to its own devises, will serve everyone equally if only govt would get out of the way is the real enemy. People have always acted in their own best interests, but that doesn't mean that we should kick our neighbor, which is what the banksters and global capitalists are so good at doing. Any economy by its very nature is going to be "godless", but that really shouldn't be the issue. Economies of scale that serves the community, and not global capitalism, should be our primary thrust and argument as liberals. Or, at least that's how I see it. "Social obligation" and "capitalism" are oxymoron's. We can't ask an immoral system to be moral, any more than we can ask water to be dry.

[bemildred]

4. Parasitic capitalism, God has nothing to do with it one way or the other.

[neverforget]

5. free market fundamentalists

[madinmaryland]

6. Actually the problem is they have married god to capitalism. What would Jesus Do?