But I watched an episode of Colbert last night, and was reminded of a major problem we have on our hands. Colbert talked about the Federal Reserve Bank last night, and it's chairman, Ben Bernake. Some senators have been trying to get him booted from his post, and many have blamed him, and the capitalist system he represents, for the current financial crisis. Whether he's guilty or not is for another day, although I certainly think he has had a negative effect. The real problem is that people think we live in a capitalist system. I guess people don't quite understand the meaning. "Capitalist" is the same as "free market," and this would mean no regulation or taxes at all. That's the perfect free market, one end of the market vs socialist spectrum. On the other end, we have socialism, the complete State control of all human action and commerce. Which do you believe us to be closer to?
If you think the answer is "free market," you have not been paying attention in class. If you think we're more free than socialist, name me ONE industry that is completely unregulated by government. You can't, because it doesn't exist. To even BE a business, you need to get permission from the State. There has not been a free market in hundreds, maybe thousands of years. The Statists have had their go at it, and look where we are. Let the free market guys give it a try.
an excellent explanation of capitalism vs. socialism.
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