AGREE? DISAGREE?
____ 1)Adam Smith was correct – “free” markets determined by individual consumer demand is the best kind of economics.
If our God given political rights come from “nature” – it is “natural” that individuals practice economic freedom. EXPLAIN:
____2)Marx correctly identified capitalism’s injustices created by selfishness, greed and ruthless competition.
The result is Social Darwinism or the “Law of the Jungle”that invariably brings the evils of exploitation and inequalities, Capitalism’s problems, destruction and misery are inherently destructive, unjust and unfair. EXPLAIN:
___3)Capitalism, mass production and the Industrial Revolution has generated the biggest economic GROWTH and amount of WEALTH in world history.
UNTOLD MILLIONS have benefitted and been bought OUT of poverty, far more than have been led into poverty. This is evidence by the mass middle class hat emerged and exists today.
The VIRTUES of Capitalism in the long term have far outweighed it’s VICES.
In a “tragic” world, the problems and costs of short-term destruction of human creation and conflict are necessary . EXPLAIN:
__ 4)Marx was an idealistic utopian who correctly pointed out the only “solution” to end economic injustice – the exploited “have nots” had to “throw off their chains”.
Workers had to violently seize power, replacing one “dictatorship” of the “haves” with a dictatorship of the “have nots”.
The “destructive” forces of capitalism required the “destructive” forces of communist revolution to counter it, towards building “worker’s paradise”. EXPLAIN:
___5)The “reality” of Marxism is that it brings injustice – envy, violence and tyranny.
The “consequences” are class warfare that results in never ending conflict and division
Marxists make a futile attempt to END the “sin” of individual GREED by REPLACING IT with COLLECTIVE ENVY, collective selfishness enforced by state. Marxist violence and class warfare is far worse than the “Capitalist chaos” of the “Law of the Jungle” EXPLAIN:
___6)Marxism has utopian “ideals” that promise a better “reality” to that of capitalism.
Marxism promises to end economic inequality and national strife be creating a worldwide , classless society. This is morally superior to the inequalities, and exploitation inherent to capitalism and the free market system. EXPLAIN:
___ 7)Marxism is simple minded, foolish “utopian” wishful thinking.
Selfishness (haves and have nots) and exploitation are a tragic “fact” of life, an inescapable part of human nature. We all act in our own “selfish” best interests to better our lives. Marxism cannot change that “fact”, Capitalism is “flawed”, but it works.
The historical GENIUS of capitalism is its revolutionary WEALTH CREATION, a way for “the masses” to MAKE THEIR OWN PIES. Economic competition, conflict and chaos is part of the economic process that creates wealth and prosperity.
We UNEQUALLY SHARE the BLESSINGS of wealth. Capitalism best (but not perfectly) deals with that “tragic” reality. Marxists are economically clueless”parasites”, unable to make their own pies, they exploit and destroy the “pie-making” process, scapegoating individual initiative and entrepreneurship, dividing small pies, the EQUAL sharing of MISERY.
___ 8)The state needs to seek economic equality and “social justice”.
Selfish individuals cannot be entirely trusted with economic freedoms that bring conflict and chaos that endangers the collective good. The state needs to ensure that “the PIE” is SHARED EQUALLY.
The state should re-distribute wealth so the rich “haves” pay their “FAIR SHARE” for the good of the “have nots”. We need to equitably SHARE the WEALTH. EXPLAIN:
___ 9)State-sponsored re-distribution of wealth that takes from the “haves” and gives it to the “have nots” is a form of stealing or THEFT, morally, politically and economically wrong.
What’s your “FAIR SHARE” of what SOMEONE ELSE has EARNED? Taking the hard-earned wealth of the “haves” and re-distributing it to the “have nots” who have not earned it is not “fair”. It is not the job of the “nanny state” to “punish” the productive and “reward” the less productive.
The state needs to ensure economic opportunity for all, not to arbitrate outcomes for some at the expense of others.
Collective justice based on “public good” violates due process justice based on individual merit.
The state would be wise to reward individual merit, private enterprise and free markets that grow the size of the pie.
We need to PROTECT PROSPERITY. (support wealth creators) EXPLAIN:
_____ 10)The loss of individual economic freedom always results in loss of political freedom.
Asking the state to bring about economic “equality” is “asking for” TYRANNY.
History has shown that Marxism leads to just plain “dictatorship” and makes a FALSE “economic” equality that leaves everyone equally poor. Marxism is classic “BAIT and SWITCH” – a false, hypocritical utopianism that PROMISES HEAVEN, YET BRINGS HELL. EXPLAIN:
“The inherent VICE of CAPITALISM is the UNEQUALSHARING of BLESSINGS“… the INHERENT BLESSING of SOCIALISM is the EQUALSHARING of MISERY.”
Agree? – Winston Churchill Disagree?
_____ 11)The “VICES” of capitalism (unequal prosperity) are still better the “BLESSINGS” of socialism (sharing “misery”) EXPLAIN:
SMITH vs. MARX TODAY – “OCCUPY” WALL STREET PROTESTS
___ 12)The “one percent-ers” exploit the 99%. Nothing changes. The “rich” haves are PARASITES on the have nots.
The greedy Wall Street elite “games” the system to take, even “steal” the wealth without merit. This exploitation needs to be protested and stopped. We want FAIR markets; the FREE market is DYSFUNCTIONAL. The rich do not EARN their wealth. Without reform, Marx’ prediction will come true – we will destroy ourselves through our own greed.
___13)Protestors got it HALF right – but are confused, misguided and clueless on certain levels.
First, some Wall Streeters are corrupt “parasites” on the capitalistic system. The question is WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS? What are goals and purposes of the protest? Most people see the evil effects of CRONY CAPITALISM.
A small elite does “GAME the SYSTEM’”. Regulation should attempt to stop “crony” capitalism. But does that mean we “end” capitalism? What are the ultimate goals of the movement?
WHO do they “represent”? Many are “PRIVILEGED” college kids who live off their parents, all beneficiaries of the “privileged” capitalist system, SPOILED BRATS and INGRATES THROWING “TANTRUMS”. They complain of the “vices” of capitalism, while ignoring the “virtues” of their parents’ prosperity. An educated elite without jobs, are they looking for a “government bailout of THEIR college debts?Hypocrites seeking their own crony capitalism?
Are the protestors “USEFUL IDIOTS” manipulated by “professional revolutionaries” who seek Marxist destruction of the capitalist system. The same old “tired” false idealism ignores “reality” and fails to ask the question COMPARED TO WHAT? ALL “poor” Americans living off government welfare are part of the world’s “1 %”. Wealth is relative.
Reality is way more complicated than the simple-minded slogans we hear. Is it accurate to divide society into a “1%” and a “99%”? Who exactly are the “rich” and the “poor”? Where does the “protest” stop? The protest creates more questions than it presents “answers”.
Protesters are clueless hypocrites for two reasons. First, not “representative” of the “99%) college kids ( a hypocritical “spoiled” elite protesting the system they have benefitted from) “useful idiots” manipulated by professional “radicals” who ignore working people and “silent majority”
Second, “reality” is more complicated who are protesting the system they have benefitted from Adolescent “temper tantrum” of spoiled elites looking for a “hand out” a “nanny state” to take care
The “reality” is our “poor” are way better off than other non-industrialized, non-capitalistic “third world” societies
Wall Street is corrupt, but necessary; Evils of crony capitalism BUT What is “goal” of the protest – REFORM or REMAKE “system”? Same old “tired” calls for Marxist “revolution” “dictatorship of the proletariat” that history shows brings about MISERY War on Capitalistic private enterprise which ignores STATE run corruption and
Private enterprise vs. Public equality
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