Economy

[thenark]

Just curious at to what people think is the best economic theory as far as the theoretical definitions go.

Capitalism: Democracy + Private ownership of business

Socialism: Democracy + Public or government ownership of business.

Communism: Dictatorship + Public ownership of business

Fascism: (not like hitler or musollini, but the pure theoretical kind) Which is dictatorship + Private ownership of business.

[Commander-K25]

Capitalism.

[TheShrike]

Capitalism. With a Capital C.

[NJDeadzone]

capitalism, people like options

[Slizor]

Your definitions are weak. Communism doesn't have to be a dictatorship (and no, democratic Communism isn't Socialism.) And Capitalism can be a dictatorship (see most South American countries before their current leaders.)

[karasz]

I'm going to go Capitalism WITH A pinch of Socialism... maybe give el government-o more powers over the corporations like in Canada to keep prescription drug costs low...

man that would be sweet... but impossible cuz of all the damn dirty republicans...

[TheEvilOne]

Communism in theory is not a dictatorship. That's just the way it happened. All communism means is that commerce and industry are controlled by the state.

In a socialist system, there are private businesses, but certain key industries (utilities, health care, etc.) are controlled/regulated by the government.

I personally like the way things are done here in the US: capitalism with just a little bit of regulation.

[Dagodevas]

The Democratic Socialism most countries seem to have implemented seems to work quite well. But if that doesn't count, I guess I'll have to go with Capitalism.

Besides, I can't support Communism. To me, Communism is like the crap you buy on all the infomercials. It looks and sounds good, but when you get it, it doesn't work.

Kazuo Kiriyama

[Slizor]

Communism in theory is not a dictatorship. That's just the way it happened.

You may have mean this, but I would like to stress, has happened.

In a socialist system, there are private businesses, but certain key industries (utilities, health care, etc.) are controlled/regulated by the government.

Actually that's Social Democracy. Socialism is Capitalism owned by the state, there is still inequality, just not as much.

I personally like the way things are done here in the US: capitalism with just a little bit of regulation.

God no, it leads to a very aggressive government who try and open up new markets as home demand falls due to the inequality in income. Plus the lax regulations is especially fucked up in the American food industry. It's just waiting for something like BSE.

[MuscleHed]

I’m with Newgrundling. In lala land, Communism would be the ideal system. But we live in the real world, and Anyone who doesn’t think Capitalism has proven thru time to be the best needs to study history better! The USA is the prefect example. It started out as a few week counties, and turned into a super power in a little over 200 years. You can hate it all you want, but that can’t deny its power and strength.

[NEMESiSZ]

Capitalism only works in larger nations, Fascism should work well in the small european states, it's just been corrupted by typical evil dictators in the past.

[TheShrike]

At 3/28/03 05:50 PM, MuscleHed wrote: I’m with Newgrundling. In lala land, Communism would be the ideal system. But we live in the real world, and Anyone who doesn’t think Capitalism has proven thru time to be the best needs to study history better! The USA is the prefect example. It started out as a few week counties, and turned into a super power in a little over 200 years. You can hate it all you want, but that can’t deny its power and strength.

Yeah, and our resources had NOTHING to do with that!</sarcasm>

At the start, we were dependent upon Europe. With all the raw resources and land available, it would have taken effort to mess up our economic strength.
I support capitalism, but I don't think it is the sole reason we're so well off. From a historical standpoint, of course.