Capitalism is Superior to Socialism

Which system is superior: capitalism or socialism?I propose that capitalism is the only moral system, since it is the only system firmly grounded in the concept of individual rights. Socialism, on the other hand, is based on forced cooperation and the violation of individual freedoms.To understand what these rights entail, we must ask ourselves: what are rights? To answer this question, we must first ask, what is man? What is his nature?Man's Nature, Individualism, and Rights:Man is a rational animal. His primary faculties are his mind; his main tool his use of reason. Only an individual human being can use reason. There is no such thing as a collective, hive mind. Individuals do not blend together, leaving their physical bodies and somehow mixing themselves into some collective entity. Since the collective mind is impossible, there is only one possibility-that of the individual human mind.Man is defined by his nature. To survive, man must live by his nature. Therefore, the only system that supports the survival of man is that which allows him to live by his nature.It is now clear that any moral system must allow man to live by his nature; in other words, a moral system must allow man to reason and to use his mind.Such a system has to recognize and protect individual rights; that is, it has to recognize the uninhibited freedoms of individuals to use their minds and sustain their own lives by pursuing their values. The only means by which rights can be violated is by the use of force. Therefore, to protect rights, a rational system must protect individuals from the initiation of force. This extends to the government itself; it must protect citizens from both outlaws and itself.Summary: A moral system must respect the survival of individual human beings; it must protect their ability to use their minds and defend them from the initiation of force.Capitalism and Socialism:If we wish to prove the moral superiority of capitalism over socialism, we must first define both systems. What is capitalism, and what is socialism?"Capitalism is a social system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which all property is privately owned."Socialism is "a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole."In other words, capitalism is based on the idea of individual freedoms and the right to disagree and not cooperate with others. Socialism is based on the idea that all property belongs not to the individuals that own it, but to the collective-to the hive mind.Clearly then, socialism is based not on the recognition of individual rights, but on the use of force; it devalues the very concept of individual freedoms in favor of collective benefit. As a result, it is fundamentally immoral.On the other hand, capitalism is based on the recognition of the individual freedom to pursue prosperity, happiness, and values; as such, it is fundamentally moral.Summary:Capitalism is moral because it respects individual rights, as opposed to socialism, which blatantly violates them.