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Should we expect a Communistic public school system to teach Capitalistic economic systems?
You didn't go to public school? If you did, do you understand capitalism or can only private schools teach economics?
Please specify in detail what the current public school system should do so that in your mind it is capable of teaching capitalism.
Keep in mind that there are public school systems in capitalistic countries all over the world, and the kids are graduating from them being a lot better educated than American kids.
I blame Wall Street. It's incompetence soured an entire generation. And how did the bankers, businessmen, and politicians respond? Instead of responding to people's desire for more regulation of their activities (due to millions losing their savings and retirement), they bribed the politicians to loosen their regulations and tax rates even more and the politicians bent over backwards for them.
The capture of the political system by the capitalist elite is the beginning of the end of capitalism. Once that happens, capitalism will work only in the favor of the elites and not for the masses. Soon the masses will have nothing left to give and the whole system will come crashing down. This happened throughout the developed world in the 1930s. What happened next wasn’t pretty.
Let’s just hope we Americans get another Franklin Delano Roosevelt and not another Hitler, Stalin, or Mussolini.
The capture of the political system by the capitalist elite is the beginning of the end of capitalism. Once that happens, capitalism will work only in the favor of the elites and not for the masses. Soon the masses will have nothing left to give and the whole system will come crashing down. This happened throughout the developed world in the 1930s. What happened next wasn’t pretty.
Let’s just hope we Americans get another Franklin Delano Roosevelt and not another Hitler, Stalin, or Mussolini.
The capture of the political system by the capitalist elite is the beginning of the end of capitalism.
?
How often in human history did the elite not have overrepresented control of the political system? I could argue that the onset of capitalism wrestled away political control from the aristocracy.
What era specifically in US history would you claim the capitalist elite didn't have overrepresented control of the political system??
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Originally Posted by Freak80
Once that happens, capitalism will work only in the favor of the elites and not for the masses.
The Capitalist Elite have always had more political sway, however, the middle class and poor have more say then ever before in human history. Votes and they can get their messages read online by the world. Don't discount the power of the dissemination of information.
What has happened?
Longer lifespans, higher standards of living, and of course larger and larger social safety nets generally speaking over time.
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Originally Posted by Freak80
Soon the masses will have nothing left to give and the whole system will come crashing down. This happened throughout the developed world in the 1930s. What happened next wasn’t pretty.
Let’s just hope we Americans get another Franklin Delano Roosevelt and not another Hitler, Stalin, or Mussolini.
If the masses have nothing left to give, it is because we build insolvent programs, which includes everything from the social safety net to a darn near imperial military complex with well over a hundred foreign military bases.
The 1920s was a false prosperity in large part due to the greed of the masses who wanted to consume more than they could afford.
You conservatives must stop arguing about the utility of capitalism. Nobody wants to hear it but yourself.
You must argue the morality. When people feel it’s a moral thing to do, they will do it even it doesn’t work.
Capitalism is freedom while communism/socialism is just an euphemism for slavery. Everybody understands why slavery is immoral and disgusting. There’s nothing moral, just or fair about communism/socialism!
That’s the angle you need to attack.
I actually have used that angle before.
I've had students advocate socialism and I've had students even advocate communism.
I ask them "why shouldn't I have the right to open my own privately owned restaurant, store, business, or factory and make more profits when I succeed and go out of business if I don't so long as if I play by the fair rules established by society?"
Most kids stumble right away and admit that I should have that right and then I can flatly tell them that they are not socialists or communists if they think I have the right to profit off of opening my own privately owned business.
Once a kid then went into all privately owned business is exploitation of the workers no matter what, etc... At least he knew where he stood.
My experience is that many people - students, some teachers, most politicians in both parties, and many posters on these forums don't know the definition of capitalism, socialism, and communism....so the definitions get obscured.
I once literally posted the dictionary definition of socialism and had two liberals smugly call me an idiot for mis-defining it.
Socialism is:
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: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
I am a capitalist, but I wouldn't oppose some larger social safety nets such as national healthcare if set up well...I think that would enhance capitalism to be honest. Capitalism requires competition and I think some aspects of the social safety net increases competition for the little companies and workers themselves.
Problem with Americans especially on the right, talk about any social programs as Socialism/Communism. ANYTHING.. except the military which they love. The most communistic thing that exists.
Social programs are not communism... but when Republicans keep claiming Medicare for all, welfare for the poor, school, higher education, worker rights, unions as Socialism.... and then call basically all other 1st world nations as Socialist countries because they have those things...
Well why are you then surprised the younger generation wants Socialism?????
It sounds GREAT!
And they actually know other 1st world countries are doing great and their citizens healthier, more happy and secure.
But they dont want True socialism as the Right wing scream about every GD day... they want Social programs that help those that need it!
The US, which has tried to go full blown capitalism since the 80s... MUCH MUCH more then any other 1st world country.
What happened..
Wage stagnation
Jobs offshored
Worker rights attacked
Unions busted
Healtcare costs exploded
Schooling costs exploded
Pharmaceuticals costs exploded
And the top 0.01% has gained Trillions in income, while the 99% has had a lower lower standard of living.
Other 1st world countries?
Wage increase
Unions stronger
Healthcare costs under control
Schooling costs under control
Pharmaceutical costs under control.
Things aren't as rosy as you think they are in other 1st world countries. Look at the average income and then the effective national tax rate the average income earner has to pay for socialist-type benefits programs. See what's left with which people have to pay for housing, food, clothing and only IF there's anything left over... wants and entertainment. EU-28 comparative chart on page 9. Effective national tax rate in the 2nd column from the right:
Its NOT SOCIALIST type benefits programs. They are social programs. Capitalistic countries can have social programs... it does not make them Socialist.
And 40% of Americans can´t afford an extra $400 out of pocket expenditure.. Thats 120 Million Americans.
40 years of wage stagnation!
Americans either go without healthcare, earn less money because their employer keeps paying their healthcare, or they are paying a private tax to insurance companies, which then can do seemingly anything they want when they actually have to pay.
30-45.000 deaths each year because of lack of healthcare.
500.000 medical bankruptcies each year.
I dont care if I pay 38% in taxes.. because I dont have to pay for anything more in healthcare expenditures.
I get a pension when I´m old while still saving on my own, I get disability if I get disabled, my wife gets a year of paid maternity leave, we have subsidized daycare, I did not pay for my 8 years of college when I went... because all that is paid for though my and others taxes now.
And at the end of the day, people are better of, healthier more happy and better educated then the US, which has cut its social programs year after year after year.
Its infuriating... 700 million people in other 1st world nations, are screaming at the US... you could save $Trillions each year with a Medicare for all system. Build one yourself, of pick one of 30+ modells we have. There is $Trillions each year to be saved!!!
We get equal results as you, at 1/2 the costs.
Its NOT SOCIALIST type benefits programs. They are social programs. Capitalistic countries can have social programs... it does not make them Socialist.
They are in fact socialist-type programs because the government takes about 45% of their earnings and doles out government-run services and benefits.
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And 40% of Americans can´t afford an extra $400 out of pocket expenditure
Well, then, how would they afford a 45% effective national tax rate like average-income Europeans pay?
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I dont care if I pay 38% in taxes.. because I dont have to pay for anything more in healthcare expenditures.
You still have to pay for housing, food, and clothing, at a bare minimum, but with a much lower amount in take home pay because your taxes are so high.
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