- Capitalism and Alternatives -

Individualism is the reason for capitalism....

In Reply to: And I'll tell you a free market fairy tale posted by Ted on June 26, 1997 at 09:40:26:

Ha ha, that definition of a libertarian. I can't get over all these Republicans who talk a lot about smaller government when they are responsible for the hyperdrive military growth in the 80s that plunged us into debt while our schools and local infrastructures suffered, and who, every year, find it necessary to pursue some form of censorship, whether it be music, the Internet, or flag-burning.

That said, I still choose capitalism over socialism, because as long as the individual has power to choose, the will of one person to make a difference is possible. I can boycott private enterprise, such as I do McDonald's, Burger King, Exxon, Proctor & Gamle, Gillette, and several other companies whose practices I despise. That's capitalism. If the state taxes me and then perpetrates the same business practices, I have no say. My tax money goes there, it's even slipped out of my paycheck before I can object in an act of
civil disobedience. The less government, the more choices each individual can make. The power of the boycott is the beauty of capitalism.

Capitalism isn't perfect; no economic practice will ever be. Most injustices will occur as well in free markets as they will in socialized and totalitarian markets. There is room, however, for more voices at the table to discuss ideas. The current 2-in-1 political party system in the U.S. leaves out a lot of ideas that need to be argued for in our policies. I would like to see a Congress of liberals, libertarians, conservatives, Greens, and socialists infusing our political arena with new thoughts and letting fists fly. Until then, it's politics as usual.

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