Can someone plz explain what capitalism, socialism and communism are (accuse, gasoline)
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Capitalism = Survival of the fittest. Let the free market decide which company and products win. No federal or state oversight, no making the playing field level, no monopoly busting, just free unadultered commerce.
Socialism = A form of government which advocates that the collective good should be paid for in a collective fashion. That government can, will, and should enact social safety nets so that no member of society goes without whatever items the majority of the population voted for. So if people decide every American deserves cable TV, and we have a tax program to pay for that, this would be considered a form of socialism. As a side note, the United States of America is a socialist country. 70% of the population likes social programs paid for by tax dollars.
Communism is a form of government where the state controls all industry, commerce, and wealth. The wealth is then distributed for the common good. This is not wealth redistribution as you hear Republicans talk about it. Poor families starved while farming in Russia to feed people in Moscow.
Capitalism = Survival of the fittest. The weakest want socialism.
Communism:
No country actually practices communism. None. A lot of right-wingers like to throw around the tag communists country because they are idiots. Think of communism as communal living - everyone shares, that's basically it. Of course, some people slack off and that creates a problem with productivity but hey, that's communism for you. Some countries (like China) has a powerful communist political party, but even said party doesn't advocate practicing communism.
Socialism:
This is what China practices (though that is quickly changing to a more quasi-socialist/capitalist system). Basically Socialism is when the state owns and runs a lot of thing - just look at China - the state owns everything from banks to your local barber shops, at least until their economic reform. Under socialism, it is almost impossible to be an entrepreneur, instead you go work for the government. If you want to run a restaurant, you begin by petitioning the government to open a restaurant and hire you to run it. You are paid a salary by the government and the government keeps the profit. Under socialism, everyone from your local grocer to the electrician works for the state (I am speaking very generally of course).
Capitalism:
One word: Entrepreneurship. You can start your own business and you keep what you've earned less taxes and fees.
Right wingers call Obama a socialist because 1) they are clueless. 2) they think taxes and fees are socialism when they are a characteristics of capitalism. 3) they hate any Democratic no matter what.
This is from financial writer Doug Casey. Note that unlike some other definitions, it gives operating principles rather than vague characteristics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Casey
A "communist" is one who believes in. state ownership and control of both the means of production and distribution(factories, fields, stores and the like), and of consumer goods (houses, cars and the like). Mao's China, Kim's North Korea, and Hoxha's Albania came close to that ideal.
A "socialist" is one who also believes in state ownership and control of the means of production, but allows private ownership of consumer goods. The old Soviet Union and today's Cuba are fair examples.
A "fascist," from a strictly legal point of view, is one who allows the private ownership of both the means of production and consumer goods, but strict state control of both. In economic reality, fascism tends to foster a regime of economic regulation so extensive that private ownership is reduced to
little more than a legal formality.
Capitalism sides with the people who work hard and produce, people that make a difference in their lives and to lives around them.
Capitalists don’t see wealth as a cause for jealousy as liberals do. Hate for a certain people or group of people will get you nowhere in life, and if you make them your enemy, you can be certain they will not cooperate.
The liberal case for treatment of the poor and demonization of the rich is not sustainable, nor is it plausible. What must be understood is that capitalism is the true form of progress. This is why liberal-progressivism is oxymoronic and an enormous contradiction.
Modern-day liberals truly hate capitalism. They despise its ability to reward success and punish failure. They find it detestable that people should be able to accumulate wealth in their own self-interests and pursuits of profit.
They claim to be champions of “social justice,” “equality,” and “fair shares.” However, they base their attacks on the radical idea that we should treat people as individuals, not collective. Equality in all scenarios is achieved only through oppression.
Consequently, Liberals are enemies of freedom, and work in absolute contrast to their name, liberal, which is derived from the Latin word liber, meaning “free.”
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