An Economy Based on Profit-Maximizing Companies is Unsustainable and Bad for the Common Man

Rebuttals: I would like to remind you that this debate is about an economic system where firms operate under a profit-maximizing model, not necessarily debating the principles of capitalism as compared to socialism, communism, libertarianism, etc. I will concede that many accomplishments of the industrial revolution occurred because of companies operating under a profit-maximizing model. However, it is clear that this is neither sustainable nor good for the common man. It was unsustainable because of the limitations of the value and production of goods (there is only so much tea the Brits can drink and only so many natural resources to be used), and the improper distribution of such goods that relies on seeking maximum profit instead of a need-based approach. Though I concede that there are other countries whose poverty line and standards of living are a great deal worse than that of the United States, I do not believe that we can make the supposition that most in the poverty line of other countries are malnourished, living in one room shacks, and the rest of the qualities that you described. Though this may be true in truly impoverished countries located in Africa, South America, and parts of Asia, this is not so in the European countries ad other parts of Asia. I would also like to add that it was the profit-maximizing system that the colonial-times to modern era Western countries had that abused the sustainable socio-economic structures of these now impoverished countries. Without the profit-maximizing system, they may have had the opportunity to naturally progress as you can bet that starvation and poverty were augmented by the abuse of systematic superiority and a lack of human touch that comes with such a system. My question to you, did the USA gain the economic superiority it has now SOLELY based on its economic output in isolation? The answer is no, it did so by extracting natural resources from other disadvantaged countries and leaving the natives scrambling in their wake. The common man of these countries were most certainly hurt. New Arguments: I would like to talk about key operations of a firm that help it in a long term that are in opposition to the profit-maximizing model. Reinvestment into the company in such things like research and development, employee relations, charitable work, the general well-being and wages of its workers, can pay off tremendously. This improves product, helps gain more contracts, puts the company in a good light with the public, and ensures that the company is not receiving bare-minimum work by the employees. They hold gains that are so speculative but obvious in their nature, it is hard to place an economic value. But one thing that is true, to maximize profit by cutting fields of R&D and Employee satisfaction would spell doom for the longevity of a company, and is therefore unsustainable. Mind you, outsourcing and moving money off-shore is a product of a profit-maximizing model, EASILY seen as bad for the common man. How about the infamous young CEO who raised the price of necessary AIDS medication or the CEO who raised the price of the life-saving epi-pen? No doubt, this has maximized profits, but they left poor public opinion and people who need treatment with empty pockets. Perhaps it is time to stop maximizing profit and instead maximize value.