Rick Lowe
In these tough economic times where people have lost jobs or their income has fallen dramatically it is difficult to comprehend what families are going through, unless it you've lost your job or a family members has been impacted.
However, thanks to Capitalism there are more goods and services available today than ever before at prices one would never have thought possible.
People can afford, cars, home air conditioners, computers, running water, and so much more that we all take for granted and just three or four generations ago it was all unimaginable.
As Dr. Mark J. Perry points out in this post at his blog Carpe Diem, "even a billionaire in 1964 wouldn't have been able to purchase many of the items that even a teenager can afford today, e.g. laptop, GPS, digital camera."
Professor Perry's blog is titled, The Magic and Miracle of the Marketplace: Christmas 1964 vs. 2010 – There's No Comparison, and he is right, there is no comparison between the creature comforts we can all enjoy today and what people endured in the 1960's.
What do you think about that?
Very Interesting Mr. Rick.. Why do so many people long for the 1960’s when neighborhoods were safe and neighbors helped neighbors.. Jamaica, for example, was “the Pearl of the Caribbean,” economically self-sufficient and a rather safe place to live.. Fifty years later Jamaica is a basket case where more Jamaicans live outside the country that within it.. Today in America as well as the Bahamas we live behind gated walls and are frightened to venture out at night.. Yes we have prospered greatly as a result of the capitalistic system, but as social beings we have degenerated in human standards and values from what we once were.. Drugs, crime and moral degeneration seem to be the order of the day.. A man’s word used to be his bond, but today that bond is rather limited as so many of us can trust only in ourselves and the almighty..
Thanks Tradewinds:
So are you suggesting Capitalism has made us less moral?
I really agree with you tradewins, think that capitalism has corrupt many people.
So there was less corruption when people had less?
Let’s take Cuba. Is there less corruption or lack of morals there than in The Bahamas for example?
Jose.. Capitalism does not corrupt people, people become corrupt when their is a lost of moral values and social self respect.. Corruption may be found in every political system devised by mankind whether it be Fascism, Communism, Socialism or Capitalism.. We know that greed is basic to our human nature as all rational human beings will try to maximize their well being in one way or another.. Does that mean that greed is bad or evil?? I don’t think so.. If that was the case then all mankind would be evil.. What is evil is when greed become corruption and laws and moral values are rejected for illegal or immoral behavior..
Capitalism is not a corrupt system only the participants who abuse or illegally take advantage of the system are corrupt.. Corruption exists and materializes at both the public sector (political) as well as in the private sector (business).. The real issue is what causes basic human greed to turn into corruption which is a destructive economic and social force.. Lets stop blaming political and economic systems for human short comings.. The fault lies within ourselves..