[ClearCase_guy]

I don't believe that Whedon is making anything like a sophisticated critique of various economic systems, but nevertheless he is going down a path that some wise men have already traveled.

Hillaire Belloc and GK Chesterton made the point (100 years ago) that socialism was tyranny and was not a moral system, and not a solution to the world's problems. Likewise, they made the point that capitalism would tend inevitably to something that called the Servile State, which we would probably call fascism.

I look at America today and I see that capitalism here (I don't mean the free market) has resulted in something I recognize as fascism and which I see as very similar to socialism. I think we are serfs and I think it is a result of Big Government colluding with Big Business.

Belloc andf Chesterton argued in favor an economic system based on Christian morality, because they said neither capitalism nor socialism could be depended upon to build a decent society with long-term staying power.

[Bryanw92]

>>I look at America today and I see that capitalism here (I don’t mean the free market) has resulted in something I recognize as fascism and which I see as very similar to socialism. I think we are serfs and I think it is a result of Big Government colluding with Big Business.

Very true. You get it! Most are still stuck in the old Left vs Right paradigm.

[what's up]

So what is the difference between capitalism and the other economic system based on Christian morality which you mention?

[what's up]

So what is the difference between capitalism and the other economic system based on Christian morality which you mention?

[PapaBear3625]

Hillaire Belloc and GK Chesterton made the point (100 years ago) that socialism was tyranny and was not a moral system, and not a solution to the world's problems. Likewise, they made the point that capitalism would tend inevitably to something that called the Servile State, which we would probably call fascism.

We're not going to get anywhere as long as we continue to use Marx's terms. It's not "capitalism" vs "socialism". It's "free market" vs "command economy".

The distinguishing characteristic of the free market is that it is free: somebody has some good or service he thinks people will want to buy, he produces it, and hopefully people will freely buy it. If he's right, then he gets money to try other ideas.

The distinguishing characteristic of the "command economy" (socialism) is that you have government deciding what they want people to be doing, and use the force of government (regulation, taxes, subsidies, incentives) backed by people with guns to make it happen. Being a winner in a command economy doesn't come from being right about what people want, it comes from being buddies with the people who run government.

It's freedom vs being a slave to the government. Let's get our terms right.