Is American Capitalism Morally Bankrupt?
 

No flamethrowers please. Let's just have an open and honest discussion of all viewpoiints.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/4-r...1?pagenumber=1

The opposite of captialism is...........and it doesn't work.
 

Because all people are not altruistic and fair.


Capitalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

C....your link is VERY complex. I can't figure out if A. I understand it, or B. If I agree or disagree with it.

But I am on your team.

The problem is corruption and skimming... The foxes are guarding the hen house... The big banks/corporations install politicians to do their bidding... We need to start installing some ropes on a few lampposts... This is one time we need to follow the example of the French...

Not big into revolution.

it is what it is because the will of the people allow it.
Way too much NIMBY (not in my backyard).
Way too much lethargy when it comes to demanding right and wrong be dealt with.

I remember a few years back when taking a local citizens community course we were being addressed by the chief of police. He said emphatically that criminals just simply had no fear of the law. So why is it we are surprised when those either trained in the law (most of our government representatives) or those wealthy enough to "buy" the law have such a high incidence of breaking the law....usually with no reprecussions. Their behavior suggests they are above the law of the land. It is proven every day.

It is not the capitalism tha is broken. Capitalism is what made this country great and will again when the corruption is in fact penalized. First the silent majority needs to come out from hiding.

btk

Capitalism is alive and well in this country.!!!! IMHO

Finding one's business niche, is much harder, than in the turn of the twenith century, as opportunities have been shrinking. There are only a few innovators to start gigantic industries like Google, Facebook, Apple, etc. There are still opportunities to make a lot of money, for those that are innovative.

I think it takes the American people to get very upset, they are willing to do something, on a major level about any issue.

This is probably going to start to be political so I'll see you later gator......
before the admin closes this thread.

I think the premise is incorrect. There is no true American Capitalism, just a very severely bastardized remnant.

How do you feel about socialism?

Unfortunately, that is the way we are heading. We know it doesn't work yet our leaders are leading us down that path.

It's the persons, Stupid.

It's not the the concept--American Capitalism--that's 'morally bankrupt'.

It's the people who were raised and taught by amoral persons, or were allowed to raise themselves without any discipline nor spiritual formation via church, synagogue, etc.

Like most societal and political ills, it's a matter of upbringing and role modeling. Moral persons are raised by parents, and are taught by teachers and leaders who role-model moral thinking and behavior.

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development:

Moral Development - Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

I am not interested in making any excuse for our political and business leadership. Many of them get less criticism than they deserve.

However, there is probably less corruption and "manipulation of capitalism" now than there has been in the past history of the US.

Just read some of the historical information about wall street or the robber barons.

But I would agree that we still have plenty of room for improvement!

Blaming immoral behavior on an economic system is absurd. Changing the economic system will not prevent people from stealing and cheating. Changing capitalism will not prevent corruption. Eliminating capitalism will not improve the lot of the poor.

Do you believe that there was no corruption, cheating or stealing in the former Soviet Union? Do you think that government officials had the same standard of living as the poor? Do you think that there were no poor? Black markets existed and immoral behavior was possibly more rampant than it is here.

Do you think that the poor in Cuba are better off than the poor in the US?

There is no place in the world better then the US to be poor.

The problems with corruption are not caused by capitalism, or any other economic system for that matter. Corruption is prevalent because as someone else stated, we let them get away with it.

The people in this country have become apathetic and uninformed and keep electing the same people over and over. That is why we have corruption and immoral behavior.

One way or another if you follow the path of this country's problems backward, you arrive at the root, poor parenting.

Nikita Khrushchev Predicted It
 

In my view capitalism is good even if the capitalist is greedy. The issue is of course the intersecting of capitalism with unethical people.

Tiananmen Square Protest (circa 1989) was primarily about government corruption more so then freedoms.

In the United States today we are witnessing more corruption because of the technological advances in uncovering such crimes.

Additionally the influence of lobbyist over politicians continues to contribute to this problem. It surprised people to learn that congressional leaders and their staffs could legally participate in inside trading. This loop hole was suppose to be closed but well know where that is going.

Further government interventions often end up contributing to the problem and regulations are far over reaching and worse yet miss their mark (Dodd Frank Volker Rule ,etc)

In summary I believe most capitalist are good hard working people. However, I question the motives and methods of politicians, lobbyist, big brokerage firms, hedge funds.

Given that the 1% earn most and the poor are getting larger in numbers and demand more entitlements resulting in elimination of middle class I would have to agree they we are becoming morally bankrupt. Interesting enough Nikita Khrushchev predicted exactly that scenario which would bring America to its knees. We are imploding because we have weak dishonest and self serving leadership. Our only defense against these intruders is our vote....use it wisely

Benjamin Franklin predicted "When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." How right he was.

Capitalism is not bankrupt, Capitalist in some cases are. The world is a tough place, but no system has ever come close to capitalism in producing prosperity for the greatest number of people. Our poor are wealthy compared to the needy in other countries , Go to Mumbi, Ja****a almost anywhere in urban africa and then reflect on the concept of poverty. The rich can only do a few things with their money; spend it(producing jobs and employment) give it away( helping others that are not so rich) or invest( providing the capital to build and grow commerce=jobs and income to others).

Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and 18 to 20 other Capitalists have just vowed to give at least half of the fortunes to charity. Hard to imagine that action as morally bankrupt.

I usually don't chime in in this kind of stuff, but isn't this all just hateful political opinions of some people. I know you can get half the people to lean left and half to lean right. I think that is good. Since we are all in the same boat, if we all leaned the same way we would tip over.

I really think this kind of political conversation hidden in economic or an article discussion is not good for the board.

Mom always said never talk about politics or religion.

I do not accept the OPINION that this discussion is political....let alone the assertion it is not good for this boaed!!!!
It is an economic discussion. Just because there is disagreement or differing opinions does not = political.

The real problem is insufficient discussions of what this country's real problems are. Not discussing them is exactly what the manipulators of today (politicians, executives, the media, hollywood, the ric et al) expect and thrive upon.

The more one knows about what is either happening or not happening the easier it is to reach a decision on what to do about it.

To hide behind the boogeyman of let us not discuss politics is BS!

Stand and be counted is a much better option than sitting in the bus and TAKEN wherever!!!!!

In my humble opinion!!!

btk

:agree:What he said! It's time to take a stand for what you believe is right and just and get heads out of the sand!

I feel very strongly both ways - after all, I don't like to argue.

I agree with you.

Actually, the slowing degrading culture is what is truly morally bankrupt. That point aside, the dishonesty that led to the Financial Crisis (and the ongoing QE "solution" etc) could be quickly cured by putting several CEO's in jail and impeaching some high level politicians.

That being said, American Capitalism has made more people well off and brought more of the common folks into the middle class than any other system in history. Even if one is a devout Socialist, the facts are clear and beyond dispute. Yes, the distribution of wealth is skewed but that's also the historical norm given the unequal distribution of talent and skill.

A truly morally bankrupt system is better exemplified by the former USSR and current Russian state, or my personal favorite, Venezuela. The current strong man and ignorant former bus driver is travelling on the same path that Mugabe book in Zimbabwe. Everybody gets screwed in that process except the politically connected and super rich.

Excellent post and spot on.

I have a friend who is a medical foster parent with his wife. He told me yesterday about. New baby he has, who is very sick as the mother was a twenty five year old crack head and alcoholic. The baby has HIV and aids. There is a couple who wants to adopt the baby but, the fifty year old father is using legal aid to fight for custody.

My friend told me that the father had no interest in the child till he found out that if he had custody then he would get about $600 a month.

The real problem is that the father is from Jamaica and can't read or write. He thinks his son just has a cold and that is why he has difficulty breathing.

So tens of thousand of our tax dollars spent to protect the child from his own fathers ignorance. Since he can't read what is on the ten plus pill bottles the child has, my friend said if the father gets custody the child will be dead in a few months.

This whole story is just one more example of what is wrong with the world. No personal responsibility. No ethics. People not caring about one another.

Everyone in it for the buck. From the 1% to the last percent. The only thing we can expect from our politicians is to lie to us to gain power, money and perhaps a place in history. Which they spend the rest of there lives to rewrite.

This is all true for both sides of the isle.

But if we think we have it bad read some historical fiction or historical romance. Things were much worse back in history.

So I say God bless America. No mater what it's still the best place on earth.

Agreed

Agree

Agree

American Capitalism is just PLAIN GREED!

Do you find communism to be a better choice?

Capitalism is an economic system. Greed is a human trait. Only people can be greedy. Greed exists whever there are people regardless of the economic system.

What do you wish to accomplish by making your stament about Capitalism?

Great Observation
 

Although this is a generalization of the statement I remember the observation of a famous statement who said that when a majority of the population were aware of and qualified for entitlements and their number exceeded the ones not entitiled then the 200+ years of democracy would fall. The question is have we reached that critical path? If not I would
submit we are headed in that direciton on a fast path. :crap2:

Capitalism is a system designed by the greedy to serve the greedy. They stacked the deck long ago.

Obviously you have a better system in mind. Please enlighten us.

That is an entitled opinion or perception or prejudice...even though it happens to be incorrect (unless it was intended as humor....then I missed it).

btk

..........

Yes, like when the pioneers on this nation's frontiers resolved to live in a wood-frame or log house instead of a sod one.

There were probably bitter, resentful dirt house dwellers who called the wood-frame or log house owners "rich" and "greedy" too. But each one worked like a mule to carve out the woods or rocks or sod they built their place with.

Envy is the twin brother of Greed in the list of 7 Deadly Sins.

More GOD like than capitalism. Capitalism is another word for greed and selfishness in my opinion.

From the Iron Lady-

"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money"

Very true and so many are victims even when they think they are a recipient.