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