Capitalism can be bad. Is it a good thing when millions around the world have their countries/democracis taken over by military dictatorships so capitalists in countries like the U.S. can exploit their resources? Many countries went from budding democracies with some political and personal freedom that were trying to get their economies going and make use of their own resources, to U.S. installed brutal military dictatorships that allowed U.S. multinationals to raped their resources. Iran, 1953, Gutemala, 1954, Brazil, 1960s, Chile, 1973, etc.
I've benefitted greatly from capitalism, but I realize it does have a dark, largely ignored, underside that has brought misery to millions in the name of corporate profits. Perhaps that's just man's lot in life. But, I really don't think it has to be that way. People are too damn greedy and it leads to these gross imbalances in power and living standards. Human nature perhaps. After all, despite all their talk of egalitarianism, Communist Countries like the U.S.S.R. and China were/are also very socially stratisfied societies. The communist elite lived much better lives than the commoner under communism. There really is no such thing as a worker's paradise. Neither capitalism or communism has been particularly good if you're in the working class. I guess capitalism is better though, as long as it's not done under military dictatorship, since you have more freedom and more opportunity to better your lot in life than under a dictitorial communist system. Mankind still has a long way to go. |
