What's the alternative to capitalism?

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OK first of all I'm not someone who knows a whole deal about economics or politics. It seems though, and that's what a lot of people feel apparently, that capitalism is not working and that the chasm between poor and rich is going further apart. What's the alternative, how can this be fixed?

Last edited by kruger4 on 25 Jan 2011, 9:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

Love.

Unicultural, social(ethnic) capitalism and interest-free banking. just the opposite of the current state.

Love does not grow corn and bring it to the stores.

ruveyn

Correct. That would be mere lust ... and that is why love is needed if the corn is to ever be passed around ... and then "the chasm between poor and rich" would disappear after there is no corn for anyone.

What to do, eh?

Love could impel me to grow corn to feed my friends and family.

Though TBH, I think agriculture is a mistake.

Last edited by Moog on 25 Jan 2011, 10:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

For most people it is the prospect of making some money.

ruveyn

That's the problem. Money motivates people in a very different way than love does.

Yes. It makes them productive. Your hippie buddies were motivated by Love. What did they produce?

ruveyn

Not everyone is motivated by love, nor even enlightened self interest. Money at least motivates people, not necessarily because of what it can buy, but of what it allows people to control. In a world of love, we must give up control, and for many, what we cannot control, we hate.

An interest-free banking system does not work because the very concept of banking is based upon interest.

The cause of all issues is the unequal distribution of wealth. Any system where one individual earns in an hour what another would earn in a year is fundamentally flawed... and it is this very fact which makes capitalism 'work' : a vast majority must be on the short end of the stick at all times. Its a pyramid scheme.


Alternative? That's hard to say... all I can think of is that if we take the current system and make it an absolute rule that no individual may inherit more than 1 million dollars (money or assets) and no individual may have more than 10 million dollars net worth (in money or assets) then we might see a drastic change happen... as all the wealth accumulated by the handful of economically elite families would be tossed back into the pool and applied by the state onto projects and other things... the incentive to work is still there for if you're a rich kid you'll still start with just 1/10th of what your limit..and if you're poor then you can still work your way up and know your children and future generations will accumulate wealth and eventually reach that 1 mill or 10 mill cap.

The power of banks and corporations would be diminished given the fact that even if the company makes trillions of dollars the wealth it generates would be spread amongst a huge amount of people.. since the company would be owned by several thousand people not one or 2 magnate families.

hope that makes sense

Capitalism is the cattle prod for the morons of the world who don't understand how and why the world works. Those who abuse capitalism for their own gains tend to discourage proper education because that means they can keep their power longer.

Right. The Socialists are the enlightened ones. And what have they produced lately?

ruveyn

@ Dantac

The problem is that there are ideas in this world valued more highly than 10million dollars. There are also projects that need more than this in capital and then there are decisions that require more faith than a crowd of investors can muster.

Love usually generates more love, happiness, and satisfaction. Most science and art were labours of love. Sure, people might monetise it.

I don't enjoy many of the products of capitalism, I'd say 99% of it was useless. A big waste of energy.

If you see everything in terms of raw production, we might as well just have a world comprised of sausage factories.

Last edited by Moog on 25 Jan 2011, 11:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

Fine. They stay away from computers.

ruveyn