: Of course, many inventions are simply BAD. Poisonous food additives, and brain-destroying television are great examples. But wouldn't it be better to regulate and control these bad sides of Capitalism, rather than give up on the most powerful innovative engine in human history?It is correct that capitalism is indeed the most powerful innovative engine in human history - so far. But under feudalism, innovation was again more effective than under despotism. Social systems evolve, and with each step on that evolutionary ladder, innovation has so far taken one step with it. I cannot say whether socialism will be the next step in the social evolution of man, but I am positively sure that there will be a time after capitalism. However, when discussing possible futures, it is important NOT only to consider history. History deals mainly with knowledge of the past, and I am of the belief that history does not have a 'pre-determined goal' (some Marxists have that belief), but that development of society in the future is the result of the people who affect it. But one effect socialism would have that would be positive for innovative minds was that it would allow them to focus on the inventive task at hand instead of concentrating on getting bread on the table.
And on your final remark, the idea of coming up with a technology to feed ourselves better doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Capitalism. Such a technology could be created for profit - and then it would be available to us members of the privileged Western white upper middle-class, as we are those able to pay. Or it could be created from need, produced publicly by the people and for the people - and many more of those ten billion citizens of the Earth would be fed. If that solution would aid Fidel Castro more than McDonalds - Well, I'd have no problem with that.
