>I don't think socialism will ever work as well as capitalism. In capitalism, you are free to rise as high as your skills and luck can take you. In socialism, mediocrity is the goal. Rewarding the best ideas will always engender creativity.

Again, I lived there, you haven't. But this time you're right - and that's why I said that socialism wasn't given a proper chance, because it was basically ruled by The Party, which prevented any sort of meritocracy. All important positions were filled with people who knew how to work the hierarchy, not how to do their job.

OTOH, I've seen great outbursts of creativity where you wouldn't expect them - in areas which were deemed less important, or a showcase for the system. We had great arts, and, unbelievably, very good television. I wish there's a team like that today, just to show how TV can actually be good. And we had very good rock'n'roll.

I'm not saying capitalism is immune to this infiltration of mediocrity - but the financial interest will force the proprietor to put experts where experts are needed, regardless of their political color.