Yabby, the only thing I would add to your excellent post concerns

"empowers individuals with talent and ability to help themselves and come up with innovative solutions to complex and seemingly unsolvable problems."

and it is

if you are not free to do that, what is the point in being alive in the first place?

May I compliment you on the most succinct and directly challenging summation to the merits of capitalism over every other social system ever imposed (willingly or unwillingly) on people.

Well done.

yabby wrote
>>..Capitalism has one amazing feature./..empowers individuals with talent and ability to help themselves../..innovative solutions to complex and seeminglyunsolvable problems...>>

i dispute the statement[you mean like microsoft stealing every inovation via reverse_engineering and blatent theft from poor inventers unable to get lawyers?

>>..I have yet to see where any other system of Govt can achieve the
same...<<

me too bro[but,are we are talking about names,or govt systems
arnt we a demon autocracy?[auto-crazy]

capitalists egsist under all sorts of govts[from dictators stealing their peoples wealth,to principelities[steaLING THEIR PEOPLES WEALTH[TO THE COMMUNIST BILLIONARES],to royalty and republics serving the same elite intrenched wealth intrests[ie all capitalists GOT their wealth[credit]from the customer.

..>>most inventions,new ideas and progress comefrom the West and not from North Korea or Cuba...<<

funny i been seeing it come from china[japan]and from people inventing.[countries dont invent much but tax and law,and ways to get the wealth via inflation,tax or subsidy from the people to their big buisness mates]

>>..In short,give all women the right to family planning..>>

on one level i could agree[but on the other i refuse to support it[your meaning let the poor not breed[and only the leeches on sociaty [that hold 95 percent of the globes wealth do as they chose?]

it is usual with not allowing others to breed,that they are expected to die on the job[and we wont get into the forced sterilisations,and deliberate govt policy to make the deemed poor infertile[via vacinations and hormones in our[and their]foods and waters in short the concept versis the reality[that there are many who believe in their own rights but stuff the rights of their lessors.

>>..letpeople innovate to their abilities,then we perhaps have a future.Anything else and we are doomed to failure...<<

im glad i can agree to that last bit,i would add that ideas be taken on their merrit[not some selective intelectualised theft process that is running rife in this;capital is king system of systemised credit availment to those percieved as bettors,who get mates rates and the poor dumb wage slob paying income tax on_wages[wage isnt income!
BUT GOVT AINT GOING TO TELL them THAT

Yabby and one under god,

There are at least two forms of capitalism: i.e., market capitalism or state capitalism. The former represents the free market and the latter government intervening to influence events to the suit the current wealthy. With market capitalism the wealthy through good decisions have the right to become wealthier or, with bad decsions, to loose their wealth.

State capitalism is when the State tries to maintain the "current" status quo and not allow markets work to determine who survives. Benito Mussolini was head of government, head of the party and "head of corporations".

Capitalism or Communism.. it all boils down to greedy people.

Some greedy for money..others greedy for power. Most greedy for both.

Unrestrained capitalism bankrupts the environment.
Unrestrained Socialism bankrupts the State.

The best solution is neither one nor the other, but the appropriate mix of free will, social support and good environmental stewardship.

That best solution is achieved when we put our relationship with God as it should be. Only then will we "do for others as we want them to do for us"

Jesus said "No one enters the kingdom of God unless he be born again"

Communism = rich party members ripping off the masses (and environment) and influencing government

Capitalism = rich investors ripping off the masses (and environment) and influencing government.

Bugger all difference for the masses except that in a capitalist society there is a slim hope that you might be able to "make something" of yourself.

Actually, thinking about it there was probably just as much of a chance to "making it" in the USSR, just that you had to take a different path (KGB informant, etc). Both systems result in most people scratching out a living, whether hard-working or not.

Pure capitalism relies on a monetary pay-off, whereas pure communism relies on non-monetary pay-offs (the feeling of contributing to the greater good). The downfall of both systems is greed.

However, the title of the thread is flawed - Consumerism is not the answer.

Good post Poly but the last line doesn't belong. If only you could let go of the sermonising...