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You should read some real economic history and forget the Crank version. There have been very few periods in history wherein capitalism was as pure as you believe either morally or nationalistically. Government has almost always been intimately involved in economic events and business has always been seen as “greedy”. But Adam Smith showed that good intentions are irrelevant to the success of the economy. The only requirement is that a business legally provide a product for the lowest price possible. THAT is its job.

I am pleased to see that you believe free trade is good and dismiss the anti-free trade tirades of others here.

Our economic system now is not as free from regulation as one would wish but it is still the most productive in the world and IF the electorate becomes pro-business and rejects the socialist crap it is taught then there is a chance for it to return to glory. But that is apparently a long way off given the discussion on this thread.

"...these people have never read a book about economics not taken a course in economics..."

Maybe at least reading the article would be nice.

It's a typical NTY Marxist/anti-business hit piece --only a Marxist would say it's bad when businesses make more profit with fewer employees. Increased productivity is a good thing. Furthermore the article came out last January --that ain't news it's history, and the update is that the latest quarterly changes show corp profits down 2%, corp. taxes up 7%, and employee comp. holding steady.

... But Adam Smith showed that good intentions are irrelevant to the success of the economy. The only requirement is that a business legally provide a product for the lowest price possible. THAT is its job. ...

Talk about crank versions. You might want to re-read your 'Wealth of Nations' and the economic suppositions upon which Smith drew his conclusions. Wealth of Nations was written about a economic theory in a world in which we do not live, i.e. one in which small businesses were run locally by their owners; their customers and employees were also local. Smith was a big fan of producing and purchasing domestically.

“As every individual, therefore, endeavours as much as he can, both to employ his capital in the support of domestic industry, and so to direct that industry that its produce maybe of the greatest value; every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it. By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain; and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention”

I am not for free trade as it is defined today in 'Free Trade' Agreements that are administered by non elected international bureaucrats for the benefit of international corporations and finance and their representatives in our government.