Prove my thread is wrong as I've provided proof I'm right!!!

[Mac1958]

Capitalism is the most effective economy but a strong government is needed to maintain a balanced playfield
Without government oversight Capitalism becomes consumptive of other businesses and the workforce

We've seen what has happened to the middle class and overall wealth disparities over the last four decades as a result.

 

[healthmyths]

Having studied Keynesian economics and concluding free market capitalism to be much the superior theory for maximum prosperity for the people, I can still believe with confidence that Keynes never made the statement that starts off the OP. It doesn't sound like him at all.

Those using that or similar misattributed quote, assuming it wasn't a made up one as is often found on the internet, can be forgiven, however, as Keynes is probably one of the more misquoted and misunderstood of the more influential economists.

Otherwise I don't have much, if any, problem with your OP being the real deal.

The very best simple definition of capitalism is via Adam Smith's famous quote:

"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest."​

It is because people need to feed themselves and/or their families that produces most of the food available to populations on this planet. Without a profit motive, few, if any, would be in the business of cutting and selling meat, making beer, dinner wines, etc. available to others, baking more bread than needed for one's own use. Not to mention having to find seed to grow your own wheat, rice, rye or whatever, grind it into flour, master the art of making sour dough starter, have a source for natural sweetener to bake a loaf of bread for your family.

Most of us appreciate those 'greedy' capitalists who make their living selling one or more of those products so we don't have to invent every wheel to provide our own nutrition or for our family.

No government is large enough or smart enough to anticipate every single component that goes into supporting a population in the most beneficial ways.

Wow... my frequent position regarding people who don't verify their copies as not being intelligent enough to use the Internet applies to ME!!!

"While the exact origin is unknown, the quote is generally not considered an authentic statement by Keynes."

John Maynard Keynes: Capitalism and the "Nastiest/Wickedest of Men" | Steve Cotler

Of course you know that not everything on the web is accurate, but what if you find thousands of hits for a quotation, including citations in Wikiquote, the Washington Post, and the Howard Law Journal (which, in its Vol 48 Issue 1 Fall 2004 issue, blithely quoted the Washington Post article...

stevecotler.com

Thanks for pointing it out! I am so wrong about Keynes then!

 

[Foxfyre]

Wow... my frequent position regarding people who don't verify their copies as not being intelligent enough to use the Internet applies to ME!!!

"While the exact origin is unknown, the quote is generally not considered an authentic statement by Keynes."

John Maynard Keynes: Capitalism and the "Nastiest/Wickedest of Men" | Steve Cotler

Of course you know that not everything on the web is accurate, but what if you find thousands of hits for a quotation, including citations in Wikiquote, the Washington Post, and the Howard Law Journal (which, in its Vol 48 Issue 1 Fall 2004 issue, blithely quoted the Washington Post article...

stevecotler.com

Thanks for pointing it out! I am so wrong about Keynes then!

Well for sure don't beat yourself up over it. You would not be the first who has his (her?) head on completely straight to misquote Keynes. I no doubt have been guilty of that myself. And some of the best scholars are still debating whether Keynes was anti-capitalist and/or socialist. He definitely is a champion of most of the left's mentalisty about the role of government for an efficient, effective society

This is an accurate (I think) quote of Keynes:
"“For my part I think that capitalism, wisely managed, can probably be made more efficient for attaining economic ends than any alternative system yet in sight, but that in itself is in many ways extremely objectionable. Our problem is to work out a social organisation which shall be as efficient as possible without offending our notions of a satisfactory way of life.” — John Maynard Keynes

So you tell me. Pro capitalist? Or anti capitalist?

And the beat goes on.

 

[healthmyths]

Quasi-Socialist Costa Rica is the only country in that part of the world that people are trying to get into and not out of. I've been there several times and whining MAGA types are few. Are success and happiness measured by how much crap you can own and die with?

FACTS again...

"Costa Rica is not the only country people try to get into in that region,
but it's a major destination/transit point in Central America due to relative stability,
good human development, and its role as a gateway to the U.S.!

Technical Difficulties

 

[Lesh]

"Capitalism is an exceptional belief that the activities of the most vile scum, driven by the most base motives, will somehow be for the benefit of everyone"
(c) John Maynard Keynes
Today's younger people are being taught the above is the direction we should go.
Proof?
"surveys consistently show that young Americans hold more favorable views of
socialism than older generations and their support for capitalism has declined"

Capitalism Isn’t the Enemy — What Young Voters Really Want

Something is happening among America’s young people — highlighted vividly by the result in New York’s mayoral primary election — and we need to pay attention, because activists across the country are already plotting to replicate New...

www.aei.org

I know this will be hard for most "socialist leaning readers but that's another example of why they favor it!

Capitalism

• Ownership: Private individuals and businesses own the means of production.
• Driving Force: Profit motive, supply, and demand in free markets.
• Government Role: Minimal; focused on protecting property and enforcing contracts.
• Outcomes: High innovation, efficiency, wealth generation, but greater income disparity.

Socialism

• Ownership: Collective or state ownership of major industries.
• Driving Force: Public welfare, meeting societal needs (housing, healthcare, food).
• Government Role: Extensive control over production, distribution, and pricing.
• Outcomes: Greater equality, social safety nets, but potentially slower innovation and less economic freedom.

Now for the FACTS!!!

Question: Which economies are bigger capitalism or socialism?
Capitalism, characterized by private ownership and free markets, generally dominates the global economy, with capitalist and mixed economies
(blending capitalism with social programs) producing significantly higher GDP per capita compared to more centrally planned socialist systems,
though "pure" forms of either are rare, with countries like the US leaning capitalist and China using a unique "socialist market economy" with state control.
SOURCE: Capitalist vs. Socialist Economies: What's the Difference?.

Now for a fundamental and MAJOR difference between the two...
The "private ownership" owners MAKE decisions that can affect them directly i.e. making billions or losing billions!
But I've asked this question frequently of "socialist leaners"... who makes the final decision for example to hire or fire people?
A committee? All the non-executives? Who takes the responsibility for this but doesn't take any losses if decisions are harmful?
Consequently this is the result:
Businesses operating within a capitalist framework tend to be more profitable and efficient than those in socialist-oriented systems due
to incentives for innovation and risk-taking. However, "success" can be measured differently, with socialist models prioritizing social
welfare and stability over pure wealth generation.

Capitalism vs. Socialism: Key Differences Explained

Discover how capitalism and socialism differ in market dynamics, ownership, and economic equality, plus real-world examples of countries utilizing both systems.

www.investopedia.com

Again for you anti-capitalists... consider this simple example..
If in your present occupation you received a benefit of say $10 million for an innovation you came up that investors made millions.
What would you do?

What the **** are you babbling about

That was unreadable

 

[BackAgain]

The actual practice of actual capitalism doesn't exist.

So what?

 

[pknopp]

So what?

Move the thread to conspiracy. Create a fiction section.

 

[otto105]

"Capitalism is an exceptional belief that the activities of the most vile scum, driven by the most base motives, will somehow be for the benefit of everyone"
(c) John Maynard Keynes
Today's younger people are being taught the above is the direction we should go.
Proof?
"surveys consistently show that young Americans hold more favorable views of
socialism than older generations and their support for capitalism has declined"

Capitalism Isn’t the Enemy — What Young Voters Really Want

Something is happening among America’s young people — highlighted vividly by the result in New York’s mayoral primary election — and we need to pay attention, because activists across the country are already plotting to replicate New...

www.aei.org

I know this will be hard for most "socialist leaning readers but that's another example of why they favor it!

Capitalism

• Ownership: Private individuals and businesses own the means of production.
• Driving Force: Profit motive, supply, and demand in free markets.
• Government Role: Minimal; focused on protecting property and enforcing contracts.
• Outcomes: High innovation, efficiency, wealth generation, but greater income disparity.

Socialism

• Ownership: Collective or state ownership of major industries.
• Driving Force: Public welfare, meeting societal needs (housing, healthcare, food).
• Government Role: Extensive control over production, distribution, and pricing.
• Outcomes: Greater equality, social safety nets, but potentially slower innovation and less economic freedom.

Now for the FACTS!!!

Question: Which economies are bigger capitalism or socialism?
Capitalism, characterized by private ownership and free markets, generally dominates the global economy, with capitalist and mixed economies
(blending capitalism with social programs) producing significantly higher GDP per capita compared to more centrally planned socialist systems,
though "pure" forms of either are rare, with countries like the US leaning capitalist and China using a unique "socialist market economy" with state control.
SOURCE: Capitalist vs. Socialist Economies: What's the Difference?.

Now for a fundamental and MAJOR difference between the two...
The "private ownership" owners MAKE decisions that can affect them directly i.e. making billions or losing billions!
But I've asked this question frequently of "socialist leaners"... who makes the final decision for example to hire or fire people?
A committee? All the non-executives? Who takes the responsibility for this but doesn't take any losses if decisions are harmful?
Consequently this is the result:
Businesses operating within a capitalist framework tend to be more profitable and efficient than those in socialist-oriented systems due
to incentives for innovation and risk-taking. However, "success" can be measured differently, with socialist models prioritizing social
welfare and stability over pure wealth generation.

Capitalism vs. Socialism: Key Differences Explained

Discover how capitalism and socialism differ in market dynamics, ownership, and economic equality, plus real-world examples of countries utilizing both systems.

www.investopedia.com

Again for you anti-capitalists... consider this simple example..
If in your present occupation you received a benefit of say $10 million for an innovation you came up that investors made millions.
What would you do?

Capitalism

• Ownership: Private individuals, corporations and private equity working towards monopoly of markets.
• Driving Force: Profits by monopoly pricing.
• Government Role: Minimal; focused on protecting business contracts and collecting kickbacks to preserve favorite donors' monopoly of markets. No safety standards, labor protections, minimum wage or environmental regulations.
• Outcomes: Wealth generation to a few. Lower innovation from monopoly status of markets.

 

[Foxfyre]

We've seen what has happened to the middle class and overall wealth disparities over the last four decades as a result.

Capitalism has its drawbacks. But there is absolutely no other economic system that exists anywhere that has so many good points vs drawbacks.

 

[sparky]

Keynes was considered a radical his time....~S~

 

[Cellblock2429]

I have no problem with Capitalism as long as there is a government to keep them in check

/---/ Who keeps the government in check? I know the voters are supposed to, but who really is in charge?

 

[BackAgain]

Such a simple minded post. The alternative to unregulated capitalism isn’t socialism, it’s regulated capitalism to keep it from eating itself.

You guys are ridiculous.

There’s only one alternative?

Wow. Who knew?

 

[BackAgain]

Move the thread to conspiracy. Create a fiction section.

Why. Where is the claim of the OP that we have a purely capitalistic economic system?

 

[pknopp]

Why. Where is the claim of the OP that we have a purely capitalistic economic system?

We have one of these silly threads every few weeks.

 

[Unkotare]

Quasi-Socialist Costa Rica is the only country in that part of the world that people are trying to get into and not out of. I've been there several times and whining MAGA types are few. Are success and happiness measured by how much crap you can own and die with?

My niece just got back from honeymooning there.

 

[BackAgain]

We have one of these silly threads every few weeks.

You’re required to open any such thread?

In any case, again, so what?

 

[Lockback]

I have no problem with Capitalism as long as there is a government to keep them in check

Translation: "I'm a Communist."

 

[rightwinger]

Translation: "I'm a Communist."

Capitalists can’t be trusted
They eat their own without Government

 

[Lockback]

Capitalists can’t be trusted
They eat their own without Government

"You are so correct, comrade!"

 

[Muhammed]

It is a pity that the Soviet Union collapsed.

When I was growing up and somebody started talking about the joys of socialism, you could just say, "Look at the Soviet Union," and they were pretty much silenced. The USSR was a giant shit-hole. It was characterized by constant shortages, political corruption, political punishment, and wild displays of military might - all of which were phony. It was a place where, if you even threatened to leave, you could be shot and your family imprisoned. They CHEATED at international competitions all the time, and everyone could see it.

Now that's just a distant, almost forgotten memory, and people speak of socialism as though it were a viable economic system. They point to Western Europe as an example of how socialism can work, while those with three-digit IQ's know that they wouldn't work at all without the wealth that capitalism has provided.

Seriously, can anyone point to a country that has succeeded with socialism...REAL socialism, where there is no private property and the State owns all means of production?

Europe isn't socialist.

North Korea is socialist.