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The Capitalist Threat ( George Soros speaks)
Atlantic Monthly ^ | February 1997 | George Soros

Posted on 02/19/2009 10:01:40 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

What kind of society do we want? "Let the free market decide!" is the often-heard response. That response, a prominent capitalist argues,undermines the very values on which open and democratic societies depend.

IN The Philosophy of History, Hegel discerned a disturbing historical pattern -- the crack and fall of civilizations owing to a morbid intensification of their own first principles. Although I have made a fortune in the financial markets, I now fear that the untrammeled intensification of laissez-faire capitalism and the spread of market values into all areas of life is endangering our open and democratic society. The main enemy of the open society, I believe, is no longer the communist but the capitalist threat.

The term "open society" was coined by Henri Bergson, in his book The Two Sources of Morality and Religion (1932), and given greater currency by the Austrian philosopher Karl Popper, in his book The Open Society and Its Enemies (1945). Popper showed that totalitarian ideologies like communism and Nazism have a common element: they claim to be in possession of the ultimate truth. Since the ultimate truth is beyond the reach of humankind, these ideologies have to resort to oppression in order to impose their vision on society. Popper juxtaposed with these totalitarian ideologies another view of society, which recognizes that nobody has a monopoly on the truth; different people have different views and different interests, and there is a need for institutions that allow them to live together in peace. These institutions protect the rights of citizens and ensure freedom of choice and freedom of speech. Popper called this form of social organization the "open society." Totalitarian ideologies were its enemies.

(Excerpt) Read more at mtholyoke.edu ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Front Page News; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: bho2009; democrats; economy; neomarxism; obama; obamasmaster; obamasoros; opensociety; socialism; sorocrats; soros
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George Soros is a major financier of MoveOn.Org and other NGO's.
1 posted on 02/19/2009 10:01:40 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: LucyT; NormsRevenge; Dog; Straight Vermonter; G8 Diplomat; Fred Nerks; PhilDragoo; AdmSmith; ...

So where did the unprecented amount of money for Obama’s successful Presidential campaign come from....one has to wonder.


2 posted on 02/19/2009 10:03:14 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

“Now, after I have made my billions, we need socialism for everyone else”


3 posted on 02/19/2009 10:04:43 AM PST by SandWMan (While you may not be able to legislate morality, you can legislate morally.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Marx II - The Spawning


4 posted on 02/19/2009 10:04:58 AM PST by SlowBoat407 (Do not read this tagline.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

soros has it bass ackwards


5 posted on 02/19/2009 10:05:08 AM PST by ckilmer (Phi)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
IN The Philosophy of History, Hegel...

Hegel, the favourite of totalitarian a$$holes the world over.
6 posted on 02/19/2009 10:05:22 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The main enemy of the open society, I believe, is no longer the communist but the capitalist threat.

Hard working people who try to get ahead are the enemy. The man is despicable.
7 posted on 02/19/2009 10:05:49 AM PST by allmost
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

And dont forget...John McCain’s Reform Institute...Soros dumped a lot of money there

And also Soros is an investor in the Carlyle Group along with Bush 41 and other US leaders (both parties)

Soros has both bases covered....THAT should be everyones concern....


8 posted on 02/19/2009 10:06:02 AM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (The Biggest Threat To American Soverignty Is Rampant Economic Anti-Americanism)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
So, OBAMA"S Money Manager speaks out!!!

Can't decide if i should read or just print and use for waste clean-up.

9 posted on 02/19/2009 10:06:40 AM PST by BOBTHENAILER (my tagline is being stimulated)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

230 gr. 45acp


10 posted on 02/19/2009 10:06:49 AM PST by shankbear (Al-Qaeda grew while Monica blew)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

This from the man that turned in his fellow jews to the death camps and still says to this day that he feels not an ounce of remorse.

The man is the epitome of evil.


11 posted on 02/19/2009 10:06:52 AM PST by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Georgie needs another hit of mayonnaise. Maybe an overdose this time.


12 posted on 02/19/2009 10:07:16 AM PST by manic4organic (We Are S0 Screwed)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
"...I contend that an open society may also be threatened from the opposite direction -- from excessive individualism. Too much competition and too little cooperation can cause intolerable inequities and instability..."

And if you disagree with any of his minions on Kos or DU you will labeled a fascist, racist, warmonger, hater, etc, etc. Can't have any independent thoughts.
13 posted on 02/19/2009 10:09:04 AM PST by Islander7 (If you want to anger conservatives, lie to them. If you want to anger liberals, tell them the truth.)
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To: All
Related threads:

Putin warns US to eschew socialism

and

U.S. stimulus-related debt "could hurt investors," China warns

and

Obama's Cloward-Piven Strategy

**************************************COMMENTS************************

So just what is going on...do the Chinese leaders and Putin recognize something happening in this country that we are not fully understanding...?

Not trying to be an Alarmist but I am very concerned....

14 posted on 02/19/2009 10:09:23 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Where did the money go that was electronically stolen on 9/18/2008?


15 posted on 02/19/2009 10:10:20 AM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
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To: allmost

George Soros is certainly despicable, but we should also address the issue of how did America allow itself to become degraded? With BHO, we’re on the verge of becoming a socialist natian and, sadly, one with a non-homogenuous group of people... Socialism would be feasible in a small country with a 99% homogenous racial make-up but a large landmass like the U.S. and all us independent minded men who will never bow to the government? It doesn’t look good.

Socialism will never work in the U.S. but that won’t stop the lefties from always trying and every time they try our freedoms are dampened ever so slightly.


16 posted on 02/19/2009 10:10:26 AM PST by Professor_Leonide (I said to the young man who showed me a photo, "Who can ever be sure what is behind a mask?")
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

A runaway financial success and an embarrassing philosophic failure: such Soros has always been and will always be.

And what a dangerous combination! So many resources from the former to try to disprove his plight in the latter—through real-world manipulation!


17 posted on 02/19/2009 10:11:05 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Now that the bast**d has his gobs of money he’s going to lecture the rest of us on greed and collectivism? What a pig.


18 posted on 02/19/2009 10:12:10 AM PST by Juan Medén
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To: Army Air Corps

Hegel’s influence goes a lot further than that. His ideas were truly revelatory.


19 posted on 02/19/2009 10:13:40 AM PST by Borges
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Although I have made a fortune in the financial markets, I now fear that the untrammeled intensification of laissez-faire capitalism and the spread of market values into all areas of life is endangering our open and democratic society.

It is very convenient that you come to this conclusion AFTER making "a fortune in the financial markets", George. Now that capitalism has made you wealthy (in spite of the fact that you've done nothing to contribute to it), you want to eliminate the opportunity of wealth for everyone else.

You speak of "democracy", but it is clear that your goal is a monopoly on the wealth and power that you leeched away from the real producers with your financial scams.

20 posted on 02/19/2009 10:13:50 AM PST by Technogeeb (The only good Russian is a dead Russian. Rest in Peace, Solzhenitsyn.)
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