The difference between capitalism and socialism in a nutshell

kaz

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Dec 1, 2010
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For the enlightenment of liberals who consistently don't get this

Capitalism is economic freedom. Consumers, producers, employers, employees, businesses, individuals, we make our own choices for our own interest. That drives market efficiency which benefits everyone. The primary role of government in capitalism is to provide civil courts to redress civil crimes (e.g., breach of contract) and criminal courts to redress crimes (e.g., fraud).

An informed buyer/employee is best served with complete and accurate information. I consider it a legitimate role for government to require accurate disclosures. So for example I oppose government forcing a business to hire or serve blacks. However, I am in favor of government forcing them to disclose that clearly and accurately to other potential employees or customers. I also consider it legitimate for government to enforce accurate advertising, whether products were tested or not and how thoroughly, that sort of thing. Government should not force them to do those things, but it can require them to disclose accurately what they did and didn't do to facilitate better buying decisions.

Socialism is central economic planning. Central economic planning means that consumers, producers, employers, employees, businesses, individuals must make decisions that are not in their own interest. Otherwise central planning would not be required, capitalism would yield the same result. And the only way to get people to act against their own interest is force, and only the government can use force.

Various forms of socialism are full socialism where all industry is owned by government, fascism where industry is technically in private ownership but all decisions are dictated or approved by government and crony capitalism where government helps the businesses in quid pro quo fashion where the businesses fund the politicians and the politicians write laws to assist those businesses. In all those cases, planning is central and enforced by government guns to force the people to act against their own interest. To the people, they are the same, you have the choices government gives you.
 
There are aspects of Socialism that augment and safeguard the citizens without hampering Capitalism. That's what makes arguments against Socialism, like yours which presents either Communism (state control of industry) and Fascism (government directives to industry concerning production) utterly moot.
 
There are aspects of Socialism that augment and safeguard the citizens without hampering Capitalism. That's what makes arguments against Socialism, like yours which presents either Communism (state control of industry) and Fascism (government directives to industry concerning production) utterly moot.

Try reading the post, not just looking at the words "capitalism" and "socialism." I not only said government has a role in capitalism working, but I stated what it was. If you disagree, state how, don't just waive your hands and say I said something I didn't.
 
The US is also a "Mixed Economy".

kaz
Why no link to the source?

Yes, the US is a mixed economy. There is no Constitutional authority for the Feds to do that, they did it in clear violation of the 10th amendment. Not sure what your point is.

And what link are you referring to?
 
Where do you get this muck from? Sweden is Socialist, a Mixed Economy actually, and do you think life sucks there? It doesn't.

Where did I say "life sucks?" I can't find that part
Socialism is "evil" in your mind but life under it doesn't suck? You really don't think this through now do you?

When you quoted "evil" that was a lie because you stated I used that term. I didn't. Please be honest in the future and learn what quoting means. What about addressing what I actually did say? So far you are 0 for 2 in this thread. That's the idea of a reply. Get it now?
 
Where do you get this muck from? Sweden is Socialist, a Mixed Economy actually, and do you think life sucks there? It doesn't.

Where did I say "life sucks?" I can't find that part
Socialism is "evil" in your mind but life under it doesn't suck? You really don't think this through now do you?

When you quoted "evil" that was a lie because you stated I used that term. Please be honest in the future and learn what quoting means.
I put it in quotes in this case to show that you didn't, meaning you didn't say that but you might as well have. It works both ways.
 
Where do you get this muck from? Sweden is Socialist, a Mixed Economy actually, and do you think life sucks there? It doesn't.

Where did I say "life sucks?" I can't find that part

Paint gets defensive----forgive him
Paint gets pissed off at Americans who are as clueless about economics and they are about anything else that isn't football.

Yet Paint can't point to anything specific and what Paint said in that post didn't address anything I said. Does Paint get it now?
 
Where do you get this muck from? Sweden is Socialist, a Mixed Economy actually, and do you think life sucks there? It doesn't.

Where did I say "life sucks?" I can't find that part
Socialism is "evil" in your mind but life under it doesn't suck? You really don't think this through now do you?

When you quoted "evil" that was a lie because you stated I used that term. Please be honest in the future and learn what quoting means.
I put it in quotes in this case to show that you didn't, meaning you didn't say that but you might as well have. It works both ways.

No, that is paraphrasing, you don't put quote marks around paraphrasing. You quote when it's my actual words. Since you obviously don't know basic English, stop being a bitch and Google it.
 
There are aspects of Socialism that augment and safeguard the citizens without hampering Capitalism. That's what makes arguments against Socialism, like yours which presents either Communism (state control of industry) and Fascism (government directives to industry concerning production) utterly moot.
What "aspects" would those be? There really arent any, or many.
 
Where do you get this muck from? Sweden is Socialist, a Mixed Economy actually, and do you think life sucks there? It doesn't.

Where did I say "life sucks?" I can't find that part

Paint gets defensive----forgive him
Paint gets pissed off at Americans who are as clueless about economics and they are about anything else that isn't football.

Yet Paint can't point to anything specific and what Paint said in that post didn't address anything I said. Does Paint get it now?
Paint is tired of people starting a thread who believe they know what they are talking about, when they don't.
 
There are aspects of Socialism that augment and safeguard the citizens without hampering Capitalism. That's what makes arguments against Socialism, like yours which presents either Communism (state control of industry) and Fascism (government directives to industry concerning production) utterly moot.
What "aspects" would those be? There really arent any, or many.

Liberals like to talk in generalities then call you stupid for not knowing exactly what they were referring to.
 
Where do you get this muck from? Sweden is Socialist, a Mixed Economy actually, and do you think life sucks there? It doesn't.

Where did I say "life sucks?" I can't find that part

Paint gets defensive----forgive him
Paint gets pissed off at Americans who are as clueless about economics and they are about anything else that isn't football.

Yet Paint can't point to anything specific and what Paint said in that post didn't address anything I said. Does Paint get it now?
Paint is tired of people starting a thread who believe they know what they are talking about, when they don't.

Yet in post after post on said thread, Paint can't say why exactly it's wrong. Paint can only quote paraphrases demonstrating Paint's lack of knowledge of the English language and make sweeping statements. kaz was specific in the post for idiots like Paint who don't know what capitalism and socialism are. Maybe Paint could man up to the argument and stop his normal spamfest for all the threads Paint is in. Does Paint get it now?
 

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