>>Capitalism, although not perfect - is the best system we have.
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>It's only a matter of what is it best at. What it seems to do best is relieve itself of its most essential ingredient: competition. Capitalism was much better while they had to compete with socialist economies. Now it has fallen under its own influence. I remember many arguments from those times when capitalism vs socialism were discussed, and most of the points where capitalism matched or exceeded are now gone: the ease of getting a job, social safety nets, sanctity of contract, the liberty and ease of starting your own business, free market, indoctrination-free public education, affordable higher education, class mobility... all gone or dwindling.
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>> Just take a look at what happened to Russia when they tried to live without it.
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>Let's see - there was a communist-style solidarity raid from several sides (namely the attempt to have it surrounded 1919-1920). Then it was under a blockade of this or that kind. Then it was blackmailed (or africanamericanmailed, if you like) in several ways, with trading quotas, price of grain, price of oil etc. Eventually, it was set up with their own Vietnam (read what good man Brzezinsky wrote) and forced into wasting a lot of money into rearming, until it crashed. And, mind you, it was too big to fail.
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>> The problem without it is that people, by nature, always want more.
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>Not necessarily so. It's a mantra drilled into you by capitalist propaganda, to justify their own deeds. People may want to live better, to have richer lives, to have stable relationships, good neighbors, to enjoy culture, to be sure they'd be taken care of when they get old - which does not equal money on every step in every direction.
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>> They want to make more and be able to provide more and nicer things to their families. If we all lived in fantasy land like Rick wants I guess all people would suddenly have no desires and no ambition...just be all lovey dovery.
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>People want to see that their lives are getting better, that their troubles are fewer and that their work brings palpable results. It's not necessarily measured in the size of your TV or the factor by which your car can beat the speed limit. Those are just compensations for other shortcomings - lack of good food (I wouldn't apply the word to industrial junk sold), excess stress, lack of vacation, job insecurity, fear of medical business, fear of getting in trouble with the thousands of ridiculous laws in the hands of the police state...
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>> Instead you'd just have some unqualified boneheads filling potholes in the middle of the highway incorrectly and killing people as a result.
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>You get exactly what and how much you pay. In a system which appreciates low paid drones in all possible positions, low paid drones will get into places where perhaps some thinking and responsibility were in order. The old calculation of odds of losing money in court vs wasting money on quality was perfected decade ago, it works, ain't broken - won't be fixed.

All valid points and very well said. If we take places like Cuba for example, where it took revoltiionaries..aka terrorists..to drive out the mafia from the island guess what it worked. So you meet a capitalist on the street selling pipes because now you can do your own plumbing. Talk to the guy a little more and find out he's actually a doctor and got his education for free and payback too so selling pipes on the side. It's a very awkward position to be in. But it's happened..the seeds of capitalism have been planted. People can by and sell land there are 165 legal things you can do. I give it another 30 years before it is completely over-run. Will the culture survive? Yes perhaps ..even if it is theme parks and casinos...but perhaps. Fidel Castro did not meet the pope and go the Vatican because suddenly got religion, he wanted to see the riches and control that running a tyranny for 2000 years can do...and how the hell you pull something like that off. There is old saying in rock'n roll. 'here is the new boss, same as the old boss. hope we don't get fooled again'.