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From: mike@hpfclk.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Whither Are We Drifting?
Message-ID: <88700005@hpfclk.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Jul-84 18:34:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpfclk.88700005
Posted: Tue Jul 17 18:34:00 1984
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Nf-From: hpfclk!mike    Jul 11 17:34:00 1984

Ken Perlow writes:

>> CapitalISM, though, is an economic system that can fit into almost any
>> political framework--from ruthless totalitarian through utopian
>> democratic.  Even both at once--consider the various imperialist
>> empires that have existed over the past 3 centuries, all in the name
>> of profit.  The home country would bask in a fairly enlightened
>> political climate while the colonies were bled dry.

Capitalism cannot fit into any political framework, at least not the way
I define  Capitalism.  Economic  systems  deal with the  subject  of how
goods  and  services  are  produced  and  distributed.  If the goods are
produced by and taken from coerced individuals, then the economic system
is  slavery,  national  boundries  notwithstanding.  If  the  goods  are
produced  by free  individuals  and those  goods are  traded on the open
market for a competitive price such that the producer is compensated for
his or her  work,  then the  system  is  Capitalism.  If an  individual,
corporation,  or  government  buys and  sells (or deals in any way with)
products  produced  by  slaves,  then  they  are  not  participating  in
Capitalism,  nor are  they  Capitalists;  instead,  they  are  condoning
slavery as an economic system.

The reason why  Capitalism  cannot  exist except in a  politically  free
climate is because the producers (that is, individuals)  must be free to
choose  what it is that  they  wish to  produce,  and they  must own the
product of their work, which they can sell for a fair  price.  If you do
not own the product of your work, then you do not own your life.  If you
hold a human  life as a standard  of value, a  standard  from  which all
other  values are based, then True  Capitalism  (that is,  laissez-faire
Capitalism)  is the only moral  economic  system  available  to mankind.
When political  freedom goes out the door, so does  Capitalism,  and any
buying, selling, or owning that occurs thereafter is based on an immoral
system of producing goods.  If entities in the US (or anywhere else) buy
or sell goods  produced by slaves, or goods  produced by people who were
not  compensated  for their  work, then  those   entities  are guilty of
supporting slavery, socialism, communism, or whatever.

Capitalism does not imply Imperialism either.  Imperialism is the policy
of  extending  one's  territorial  dominion  by direct  (e.g.  forceful)
means, or by indirect economic means.  Imperialism is anti-capitalism if
it  disregards  the concept of ownership as absolute.  Remember, to take
something and not compensate the owner is NOT Capitalism.  In Capitalism
everything  belongs to some individual, group of individuals, or in some
cases  everybody  (e.g.  the air we breath),  and to defy or ignore this
fact turns the world into a nightmare  consisting  of a savage  bunch of
thugs and defenseless population of victims.

In order for mankind to survive, goods and services must be produced.  I
will choose Capitalism over any any other means of production.  Which do
you choose and why?

Michael Bishop
hplabs!hpfcla!mike-b