From: mwilson@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Mark Wilson)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.libertarian
Subject: Re: the most equitable economic system
Date: 5 Nov 92 22:14:14 GMT
Organization: NCR Engineering and Manufacturing Atlanta -- Atlanta, GA

In <1992Nov4.165629.49831@ccvax.ucd.ie> x551_003@ccvax.ucd.ie writes:

|>1.  Capitalism has been unable to develop at all a significant part
|>of the world.  many countries still suffer from periodic famines
|>and rely entirly on the export of cash crops.(I would argue this
|>in fact is part and parcel of capitalism brother Imperilism)

I guess the fact that everyone of these countries has or recently had a
communist/marxist government is totally irrelevant to you.

If country A has capitalism and country B doesn't.  How is it a failure of
capitalism when country B does not develop.

I suppose the fact that the greatest wave of imperialism occurred before
capitalism, during the age of mercantalism is also irrelevant to you.

|>2.  Capitalism has left many countries including my own
|>underdeveloped.  We currently have an unemployment rate
|>of 20%++ and 1/3 of our population lives below the
|>poverty line.

I am curious as to why you blame capitalism on Irelands troubles.  I don't
know enough about Ireland to comment, why don't you enlighten me.
How do you explain that some countries have been able to develop under
capitalism (If you listen to the eco-nazis, they will tell you over develop)
while others do not develop.  I have my own theories, I want to hear yours.

|>3.  Capitalism (of the market variety) has been unable to develop
|>the Eastern European economies.  They were crap under state capitalism
|>they are closing down under market capitalism.  Even Germany, one of
|>the most vibrant capitalist economies has failed so far to develop
|>Eastern Germany to any significant extent.

You really must think that capitalism is some strong force.  The eastern
Europeans only overthrew the old system a year or so ago.  Much more
recently for some.  None of them really have settled down on any system.
Even Poland the furthest along, still has large elements of the old
system in their economy.  These pieces are being weeded out one by one
and replaced with capitalism but the process will take years to run its
course.  Poland is the only eastern European country that has even begun
to sell off it's state industries.
BTW, why do you call it state capitalism.  There ain't no such beasty,
it's a contradiction in terms.  Eastern Europe ran from socialist to
communist.

|>4.  Capitalism is still prone to periodic crisis.  The latest one shaking
|>the worlds economies at the moment demonstrates how little control anyone
|>has over the beast once it runs amok.

Capitalism is prone to the business cycle, but so what.  I would also not
call the current downturn a crisis.  The collapse of eastern Europe and
the end of the cold war excacerbated the current downturn by drawing
capital into eastern Europe (where it will take years to make itself felt)
and adding another layer of uncertainty on top of the normal quisiness of
a business downturn.  It may feel like a crisis in Ireland, but as I
recall Ireland's economy was pretty sick, even in the good times.  I would
say you need to look to your own government for the causes of your problems.

|>5.  Capitalism still cause wars that result in the slaughter
|>of millions of working people.  Iraq was just one example of this
|>, there are countless others.

Please explain how you think capitalism causes war.  You state it as if
it were a universally accepted fact that needs no explaining.  It is not
and you need to explain yourself.
Your example is particularly worthless, since none of the countries in that
region have economies resembling capitalism.  Iraq especially is quite
solidly socialist.

|>6.  Capitalism divides one section of our class against another
|>and hence maintains the oppression of women,racism and other
|>oppressions.

Once again, please explain yourself.  I do not know of the mechanism by
which capitalism divides.

|>Need I go on. !!!!

Yes you do.  None of the rants presented above have anything to do with
capitalism.  And your extensive use of emotionally laden phrases
("brother imperialism, run amok") lead me to believe that your objections
to capitalism are on emotional grounds not intellectual.  Especially
since you have yet to present an intellectual argument that holds water.

|>It is true that no other economic system has yet replaced capitalism
|>for any period of time.  It was however once true that no economic
|>system had ever replaced feudalism.  Eventually however it happened!!

Do you have any idea what you are talking about.  You directly contradict
yourself here.  First you say that no economic system had ever replaced
feudalism, and then you say that one did.
I believe I know what you meant to say.  But your continued use of
impercise language makes me wonder whether you have tried to think 
through what you are saying, or whether you are parroting something that
you have heard elsewhere.

While it is true that something may eventually replace capitalism, but
so far all of the alternatives that have been presented suck wind.
When implemented, they have done a markedly inferior job of providing
for the people under the new system.

|>Andrew

|>E-Mail ANFLOOD@IRLEARN.UCD.IE
|>Post   PO Box 1528, Dublin, Ireland
-- 
Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
Sometimes they don't even reflect the views of the author.
Mark.Wilson@AtlantaGA.NCR.com