Capitalism is Immoral

Oh no Alex, I'm not suggesting Marxism or Communism as more moral! The ideas were points suggested in the form of rhetorical questions:1) If communists also use natural resources & pollute the environment - then - obviously - Capitalism is not the only economic system which does.And I in no way suggested that Capitalism is "universal" & humans' inherent need to consume automatically leads to it. 2) The point here was that we observe all of nature consuming resources - even humans within a completely different economic system like Communism. Therefore, Capitalism cannot be automatically immoral strictly because of the environment - as we see the same environmental issues within completely different economic systems.Environmental Crux: Is there a more moral, more ethical, more environmentally friendly way to be capitalistic? If the answer is YES -- then my points in previous rounds are indeed valid, despite Pro's efforts to mitigate, as I have shown Capitalism to actually be "amoral" - as it is a system used by people which is unconcerned with neither rightness or wrongness. Alex, your "repugnance" is because of how we have chosen to use/be capitalistic. You neglect and obfuscate many other factors like gross-excess consumerism & overpopulation - also seen in other economic systems, etc.Is civilization now reacting to a new perspective & trying to understand & find it's environmental equilibrium while maintaining it's livelihood and is there evidence of this? Since we brought up China, let's look at just two of the most populace/industrial nations in Asia incorporating capitalistic principles in their economies[1]:ChinaAir Pollution Control Act 1995Animal Epidemic Prevention Law 1997Environmental Protection Law 1989Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (For Trial Implementation) 1979Fisheries Law (2004 Revision)Fisheries Law 1986Flood Control Law 1997Forestry Law 1985Forestry Law of the People's Republic of China (1998)Grassland Law 1985Law on Desert Prevention and Transformation 2001Law on Marine Environment Protection 1983Law on Mineral Resources 1986Law on Prevention and control of atmospheric pollution 2000Law on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution 1996Law on Promoting Clean Production 2002Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Noise Pollution 1997Law on the Protection of Wildlife (2004 Revision)Law on the Protection of Wildlife 1989Marine Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (1983)Water Law 1988Water Law 2002 (the modified edition)IndiaAir (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981Biological Diversity Act, 2002Environment (Protection) Act, 1986Forest Conservation Act, 1980Indian Forest Act, 1927National Green Tribunal Act, 2010Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act of 2001Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1974Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002Wildlife Protection Act of 1972(A long lists can be compiled for almost every industrialized nation in the world after 1970)Historic Challenge:"Capitalism: Economic system in which most of the means of production are privately owned, and production is guided and income distributed largely through the operation of markets."Therefore, the Meoamerican example qualifies because 1) free market principles 2) privately owned & funded investment of capital and 3) conversion of goods into profit. The second example added simply shows Wampum used as currency in similar ways by Native American groups in the early part of US history. Pro's Use of Semantics:The motion of the debate is: Capitalism Is Immoral - NOT: Capitalism Is Moral. Burden of proof is to be shared on the topic: Capitalism Is Immoral. Alex, you are Pro of: Capitalism Is Immoral - while I am Con also of: Capitalism Is Immoral - I only need to demonstrate that Capitalism is not immoral - I do not need to necessarily prove that Capitalism is moral. Rather, I hold the position that Capitalism is amoral and will demonstrate utility: Overview of the Utility of Capitalism:Third world countries & poverty:Third World:1. the underdeveloped nations of the world, especially those with widespread poverty.2. the group of developing nations, especially of Asia and Africa, that do not align themselves with the policies of either the U.S. or the former Soviet Union [2]. "The term Third World was originally coined in times of the Cold War to distinguish those nations that are neither aligned with the West (NATO) nor with the East, the Communist bloc. Today the term is often used to describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania.Many poorer nations adopted the term to describe themselves" [5].Poverty:1. the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor. Synonyms: privation, neediness, destitution, indigence, pauperism, penury. Antonyms: riches, wealth, plenty.2. deficiency of necessary or desirable ingredients, qualities, etc.: poverty of the soil. Synonyms: thinness, poorness, insufficiency.3. scantiness; insufficiency: Their efforts to stamp out disease were hampered by a poverty of medical supplies. Synonyms: meagerness, inadequacy, sparseness, shortage, paucity [3].Third World Countries in Terms of their Gross National Income (GNI) [7]:Countries with the least gross national income based on purchasing-power-parity (PPP) per capita in int'l Dollars.Simplified the GNI PPP is the average annual income earned by a citizen of a country. That means for example, a citizen of Malawi can spend $ 1.6 a day to make a living, a citizen of Eritrea $ 2.5, the average US citizen spends $ 114 daily.Below are countries with an average yearly income per capita and year under $ 1000, poorest nations first: 1 Timor-Leste2 Malawi3 Somalia4 Congo5 Tanzania6 Yemen7 Burundi8 Afghanistan9 Guinea-Bissau10 Ethiopia11 Niger12 Liberia13 Sierra Leone 14 Madagascar15 Zambia16 EritreaThe new 2014 federal poverty level guidelines have been released for the United States. The federal poverty level for individuals living in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia is now $11,670, and $23,850 for a family of four - even higher in Hawaii and Alaska [6].The Fact of Property:1) The right to property is a moral right2) The right to property legitimizes Capitalism in principle if markets are kept freeAdam Smith (the primary father of Capitalism) argued in his The Wealth of Nations that when people are left to pursue their own interests, they will produce the greatest good for maximizing happiness and human flourishing.1) The consumer decides free market trends and prices (supply & demand), not a king, dictator, corporations or manufactures2) Because markets are free, Capitalism is a way of being "democratically" economicCapitalism is not a Caste System:1) Anyone can participate2) Wealth can be generated in less than a life-time3) Hard work and developed skills are rewardedFree Markets spur education, innovation & technologies which improve life:The Human Development Index (HDI) published annually by the UN measures the average achievements in a country in three basic dimensions of human development: 1) Life Expectancy Index (LEI) 2) Education Index (EI) and 3) Income Index Per capita income (PPP $) [5].Cited Source References:[1] [wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_environmental_laws_by_country][2] [http://dictionary.reference.com...][3] [http://dictionary.reference.com...][4] [http://www.slideshare.net...][5] [http://www.nationsonline.org...][6] [http://www.familiesusa.org...