For a good long while now, Americans and citizens around the world have been told that the profit system is the engine of economic success and development. This story has been told so long it is hardly refutable in the eyes of the general public.
Yet where are we today? Even with recent declines, the unemployment rate in the United States stands at 6.7%. And did you know that persons who have stopped looking for work are not even counted in the statistics? Average hourly earnings are up a scant eighteen cents over the last six months. Yet the consumer price index may be starting to advance at a greater pace. (Source of information: U.S. Dept. of Labor. See link below.)
There are many arguments made in behalf of the highly-touted profit system. One is that everyone has a fair shot at success. Yet, at the very least, it seems that somehow certain individuals have a fairer shot than others. Why does a Bill Gates have the money to buy a gigantic mansion, and still create and promote his own educational system? Why does Warren Buffet complain that he does not pay enough in taxes?
Operating in the profit system is something like playing one of the state lotteries. How many people do you know who have won a million dollars? How many do you know who have won even $500? Clearly, the chances of winning a substantial amount of money are very low, yet the opportunities to spend a great deal of money are plentiful. This is exploitative and deceitful.
And it can be said here that state socialism is not the only alternative. In fact, neither state socialism or communism are fit alternatives to capitalism. The alternative to the profit system, (in which the ultimate goal is to get a corner on the market), is simply a just and truly free system -- one in which the basic needs of all are seen to, including enough food to eat, and basic health care.
Clearly we do not have this in the U.S. and really not anywhere. Yet, once there was no public education system either. And now there is. Once there were no public hospitals, then there were many. (Profit corporations have largely taken over community hospitals in recent years.)
So much more can be said. Yet, this is a discussion America is yearning to have. Can we not manage an intelligent discussion on this topic? Must we have a more corrupt government than Finland?! Must we have a hideously expensive health care system, when Norway does not?! It is time to end the hysterics and get down to the business of devising a more just, and, yes, more competitive economy.
Latest Department of Labor Statistics
Yet where are we today? Even with recent declines, the unemployment rate in the United States stands at 6.7%. And did you know that persons who have stopped looking for work are not even counted in the statistics? Average hourly earnings are up a scant eighteen cents over the last six months. Yet the consumer price index may be starting to advance at a greater pace. (Source of information: U.S. Dept. of Labor. See link below.)
There are many arguments made in behalf of the highly-touted profit system. One is that everyone has a fair shot at success. Yet, at the very least, it seems that somehow certain individuals have a fairer shot than others. Why does a Bill Gates have the money to buy a gigantic mansion, and still create and promote his own educational system? Why does Warren Buffet complain that he does not pay enough in taxes?
Operating in the profit system is something like playing one of the state lotteries. How many people do you know who have won a million dollars? How many do you know who have won even $500? Clearly, the chances of winning a substantial amount of money are very low, yet the opportunities to spend a great deal of money are plentiful. This is exploitative and deceitful.
And it can be said here that state socialism is not the only alternative. In fact, neither state socialism or communism are fit alternatives to capitalism. The alternative to the profit system, (in which the ultimate goal is to get a corner on the market), is simply a just and truly free system -- one in which the basic needs of all are seen to, including enough food to eat, and basic health care.
Clearly we do not have this in the U.S. and really not anywhere. Yet, once there was no public education system either. And now there is. Once there were no public hospitals, then there were many. (Profit corporations have largely taken over community hospitals in recent years.)
So much more can be said. Yet, this is a discussion America is yearning to have. Can we not manage an intelligent discussion on this topic? Must we have a more corrupt government than Finland?! Must we have a hideously expensive health care system, when Norway does not?! It is time to end the hysterics and get down to the business of devising a more just, and, yes, more competitive economy.
Latest Department of Labor Statistics
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