Posted on 01/18/2012 12:43:46 AM PST by neverdem
One of the simplest rhetorical truths is that the side that defines the vocabulary of a debate wins the debate. Yet, amazingly, we still see experienced conservative politicians with access to advanced polling operations and an array of advisors use the Lexicon of the Left. And this election cycle is no exception.
I could almost cringe when I hear -- as I did repeatedly during Monday's South Carolina GOP debate -- Republicans talk about "capitalism." "I believe in capitalism..." "Barack Obama doesn't believe in capitalism..." Capitalism this and capitalism that -- look at me with my plump wallet, walking stick, and tony top hat. Oh, it's not that I don't believe in free enterprise; it's that we shouldn't use words that conjure up sentiments akin to the preceding rhyme.
And polls inform that this is precisely what "capitalism" does. For example, Pew Research Center reports, "[s]lightly more than half (52%) react positively to the word 'capitalism,' compared with 37% who say they have a negative reaction." According with this is a 2009 Rasmussen poll showing that, shockingly, "only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better..."
--snip--
Some may now lament how we have allowed the left to demonize our terminology. But "capitalism" in the modern sense was never ours -- and the left didn't demonize it.
They spawned it.
In point of fact, it was originated by communism's founding fathers.
The two culprits were French socialists Louis Blanc and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. True believers both, Blanc claimed that man's evils were the result of pressures born of competition and gave us the principle "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" (Karl Marx stole it from Blanc), while the equally radical Proudhon believed that "property is theft." Of course, Marx the great imitator then popularized "capitalism."...
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
This is beyond sad. This is downright ugly. It won't be long now.
You are soooo right. The last think the Republicans want to do is justify any of this failure and stupidity.
“it’s the freedom to invest one’s own wealth into any lawful thing in order to earn more wealth, and it is a freedom that has doors for entry of not just the Monopoly-game tycoons, but the lowliest enterprising soul.”
That is beautifully stated! Thank you so much!
“Why are we married to a word that was originated by communists?”
Frank Luntz is not the be all and end all. It may be a losing proposition at this point because the word has been beaten to death by both sides. However, I don’t believe that the word was originated by communists.
The only reference I have on hand right now is Wiki. But, you have to admit...if Wiki doesn’t say that the word was originated by communists, then it probably didn’t. If there was any inkling that it did, they would put it front and center.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism
And, who are you? Given your posts, one would think you are anti-capitalist.
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:paladinsprayer/index?tab=comments;brevity=full;options=no-change
Either that, or you are paranoid.
“They act as though capitalism is a dirty word. It isn’t.”
Amen!
Tell Paladins Prayer that. He/she disagrees.
“Land of The Freebies, Home of the Enslaved”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSYy3ZYOfgQ&lr=1
What a great video!
Your brother made that? He’s a SMARTY, too!
What the heck are you talking about? And, why are you attacking me?
“Talk about Obama having his administration filled with croney corporatists and Golden Sacks banksters looking for a US Treasury shake down and special favors. Talk about Obama shipping stimilus money and jobs over to foreign countries for his corporatist pals.”
I totally agree with that, but I don’t think that the word “capitalism” should be made to be considered “dirty”.
No-he didn’t make it. But he sent it to me. I don’t know where he got it.
Here is a source if you’re interested: http://resurgence.opendemocracy.net/index.php/Capitalism
The source writes, “In 1850, Louis Blanc defined capitalism as “the appropriation of capital by some to the exclusion of others.” Proudhon later defined it as an “Economic and social regime in which capital, the source of income, does not generally belong to those who make it work through their labour.”
Perhaps we ought to keep in mind that free markets existed before the stupid word “capitalism” was applied to them, but obviously we were happy not calling them that.
We also should keep in mind that Adam Smith never used the word capitalism. It was unknown to him.
This is your link?
http://resurgence.opendemocracy.net/index.php/Capitalism
I hope you realize that your source, Open Democracy, is an off shoot of Open Society...a George Soros foundation.
http://www.opendemocracy.net/about/supporters
Click on the open society link and this is what you find.
Either you are a very well uninformed individual, or you are a troll.
IMO, troll.
Okay, then here is the Von Mises Institute: http://blog.mises.org/18822/marx-was-right-about-capitalism/
Quote, “The term “capitalism” was introduced by anti-capitalists but not by Marx. Its most notable early appearance is in Louis Blanc’s Organisation du Travail (1840), published while Marx was still a grad student in Berlin.”
Oh, by the way, you earlier claimed that Wikipedia didn’t say that the word’s modern sense was originated by communists. You’re wrong. Wiki states, “The initial usage of the term capitalism in its modern sense has been attributed to Louis Blanc in 1850 and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon in 1861.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism#Etymology_and_early_usage
“In December 1981, Ludwig von Mises’s widow Margit gave her approval to Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. to found the Mises Institute. It was formally established in October 1982 and located in Auburn, Alabama. Today, Rockwell serves as chairman and Douglas French is the president.”
Is this the same Lew Rockwell that we have come to know and despise?
The fact that it’s located in Alabama makes no difference to me.
So is the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Hint...conservatives don’t like them, either.
Crony communism is getting rich by stealing from taxpayers, consumers, producers, investors, etc., and then trying to call it capitalism.
“Oh, by the way, you earlier claimed that Wikipedia didn’t say that the word’s modern sense was originated by communists”
I didn’t say that at all, so don’t put words in my mouth.
“However, I don’t believe that the word was originated by communists.”
I said nothing about the “modern sense.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2834311/posts?page=44#44
Troll.....and RuPaul supporter.
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