Capitalism- Good or Bad?

JacobHall86 said:

Yea, Truett Cathy seems to be in bad shape for adhering to the teachings of Christ.

And how is the USA on the verge of collapse?

Click to expand...

Defensor Fidei said:

That is of course a loaded question, but merely from an economic perspective, the country is doomed. Trying to keep it simple, it is capitalism that is the source of many issues facing America: the outsourcing of American jobs, the destruction of the middle class, illegal alien invasions, foreign wars for the interests of oil corporations and corrupt political lobbies, a currency worth nothing, a forever-growing debt, high crime, a horrendous education system, homelessness. America has no culture; MTV and media corporations dictate the filth that everybody must endure; a market for inappropriate contentography, sexploitation, why not? A corrupt government for sale to the highest bidder and a household where both parents must work and still not be able to comfortably raise a family while degenerate scum who contribute nothing to society are idolized as "celebrities" to be worshipped. This country is long overdue for collapse; good riddance to it and its failed ideology, capitalism.

Click to expand...

Hockley said:

I don't think the US is on the verge of collapse, I think the planet is.

Click to expand...

Consumerism seems to be gobbling up the planet at an unsustainable rate. Capitalism tends to need a "growth" economy to work but I don't see how we can keep that going. In economics they talk of "saturation" but that seems to be elusive. Greed may be insatiable. And what do we do about the wake of povery that capitalism leaves behind?

Click to expand...

Hockley said:

I do believe the system could work if people could get past greed. Social responsibility within capitalism.

Click to expand...

Defensor Fidei said:

So if humans become...inhuman?

Click to expand...

Hockley said:

Worth prayin' for and advocating for and working towards, don't you think?

Click to expand...

Hockley said:

I think the downfall of communism was rooted in greed and corruption. And, unfortunately, it may become the downfall of capitalism too.

Click to expand...

Defensor Fidei said:

Well at very least, the Western world is...


Oh, I didn't even touch on the deleterious effects on our environment capitalism is having.

This wave of poverty is already starting to grow; a free market is never going to make things better but rather continue to worsen for as long as the system survives....

Click to expand...

faith guardian said:

I disagree. Greed and subsequently corruption thrives under Capitalism and the free trade system. Look at Russia today and when it was a communistic nation. It is in many ways much much worse off now.

Capitalism thrives on consumerism, consumerism thrives on greed. Subsequently, Capitalism thrives on greedy, selfish people. In the west we are taught our economies (indeed that healthy economies) require consumption to be sustainable. However, our world does not agree. If we consume like we do now - we will run out of resources on this planet. Our capitalistic approach (which I dare say would be significantly smaller without US armed intervention practically every time an alternative has shown up) is unsustainable.

Click to expand...

Pray4Che said:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Lanark

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochdale_Equitable_Pioneers_Society

worker-run businesses are not the same as a society in which private ownership of the means of production has been abolished. Where workers own and run their business they are no different to a collective capitalist in competition with other capitalists. Some cooperatives have some success, but ultimately this is qualitatively different to communism. Whilst the workers run the factory on a day-to-day basis, the factory itself is owned and run for the benefit of the whole of society, not just the workers working there, and is integrated into a socialist economy as a totality. This is what distinguishes socialism from many competing worker-run cooperatives.

Click to expand...

rppearso said:

darn thoes greedy grubby american capitalists who want a nice house to live in, something decent to drive and some fun activities to partake in, how dare they consume resources to improve there quality of life. The problem is not that to many resources are being consumed by to few its that there are to many people, why should I degrade my life style because a bunch of third and second world countries cant control there population. I agree america is starting to have alot of problems but capitalism is the one good thing that is still standing.

Click to expand...

faith guardian said:

Money - which is in many ways the messiah of capitalism is the root of all evil according to 1. Timothy 6:10.
[bible]1 Timothy 6:10[/bible]

It is certainly not Christian, is it? If Christ was here, do you think he would drive around in a H2? I think not. If he did, he would have rode into Jerusalem on a white stallion - but he chose a mule. The whole idea that God wants us all to be materially rich is in my opinion quite unbiblical! He says we are to have enough, but to be materially rich? No. Provided for, yes. Rich? Nope.

Click to expand...

faith guardian said:

Why are you excusing the atrocious actions of corporatists?
Sure, the second and third world need to control their population. That does, however, not excuse corporate and collective abuse of these countries.
If you get your material goods at the expense of other people, then that is not good. I would argue that in many instances it is directly evil. How can it be anything else? For their own profit's sake they employ children in working conditions which cause serious harm to them for salaries that are so low they cannot live off of it. And hours so long a life outside of work (which is needed for, say, education) is impossible. That is evil. That is treading these people underfoot, seriously impeding their development, increasing the rich-poor cleft. It is certainly un-christian, and it is most definitely nothing short of evil. And I would say it is morally objectionable (at best) for the rest of us (who do not run companies like these) to turn a blind eye to these atrocities. Because even though these acts do not affect us directly, they do concern us. Because this abuse would not be possible if not for the consumers who don't care and turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed to get us the goods we consume. The actions of these corporatist abusers are directly contrary to much of the bible, including for example Luke 14, 12:14 [bible]Luke 14:12-14[/bible]

Capitalism is the source of the rampant consumption we see today. And pollution and much of the global warming problem we face is a fact because of our consumption. It exists - and will cause serious harm to this world because of people who do not want to change their lifestyle. Let me tell you something; You and I, we have no right to consume like we do. Our lifestyle of materialism is neither a right nor is it good. Nor does how many things we have improve our quality of life. Maybe - and I stress maybe - it does so in the US where whether or not you get health-care depends on how much money you have, but that is not how it is supposed to be. Where is the love for one's neighbor in a system where one is left to fend for oneself, where the leaders step on the ones below? Where each one is one's own fortune's (or misfortune's) smith (Norwegian expression roughly translated). Regardless, having more stuff does not make you happier. Much money is more often than not a source of worry and woes. Money - which is in many ways the messiah of capitalism is the root of all evil according to 1. Timothy 6:10.
[bible]1 Timothy 6:10[/bible]

It is certainly not Christian, is it? If Christ was here, do you think he would drive around in a H2? I think not. If he did, he would have rode into Jerusalem on a white stallion - but he chose a mule. The whole idea that God wants us all to be materially rich is in my opinion quite unbiblical! He says we are to have enough, but to be materially rich? No. Provided for, yes. Rich? Nope.
I present this as extra-biblical proof (so to speak); Our world was not built for this lifestyle. It cannot support it, and we are seeing the results of our rampant consumption now through the global warming we face. The evidence is overwhelming - our world was not built for our current consumption. How on earth can a Christian then defend this consumption when it directly conflicts with creation itself?! How arrogant. To consider that the world is just a commodity for us to use and throw away.

Click to expand...