Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Capitalism is not the enemy. Capitalism has improved the Lives of millions. [View all]allrevvedup
(408 posts)234. More's Utopia was the first Utopia.
Can we at least agree on that? He or possibly Erasmus made up the word, a neologism meaning "no place" or "good place" in case you skipped that class. But I heartily agree with you, there was already a genre of ideal commonwealth writing, now known as utopian, before More came along. Cicero wrote one too, and some would include Augustine's City of God, but More's squarish equatorial island -- not coincidentally resembling Cuba more than Britain -- was definitely an anti-mercantile, anti-colonial, classless collective paradise.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
239 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Capitalism is not the enemy. Capitalism has improved the Lives of millions. [View all]
BrentWil
Dec 2012
OP
But that kind of idealized capitalism you describe doesn't exist, and perhaps never has...
marmar
Dec 2012
#2
Central planning didn't work because there were political motivations instead of the profit
BrentWil
Dec 2012
#10
If mankind could ever get to ideal socialism or ideal capitalism...either would work ...but
kelliekat44
Dec 2012
#73
Today's capitalism - with emphasis on short-term profits by almost any means - is a problem.
Hoyt
Dec 2012
#8
Why Wouldn't A Complete Economic Collapse Result In A "Lord Of The Flies" Situation?
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#85
To Muddle Through With What We Have Now And To Improve It To Make It As Kind And Fair As Possible/nt
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#123
I Don't Think That Will Happen In Our Lifetimes Or Children's Children's Children's Lifetimes
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#128
Hopefully, The Sovereign Is Given The Right To Use Force Fairly And Judiciously
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#218
It's all relative. Maybe for a whole bunch of European imperialists it has. Maybe even not them.
Zorra
Dec 2012
#18
costco isn't an example of benign capitalism capitalism that pays above prevailing wage
HiPointDem
Dec 2012
#25
it very well may. that doesn't make it benign capitalism. all capitalism participates in the
HiPointDem
Dec 2012
#30
If Everybody Is Free From Work How Do We Get Goodies Like Food, Shelter, And Medical Care?
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#86
How About Finding Something For Everbody To Do That Gives Him Or Her A Sense Of Self Worth/nt
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#235
Alternatively, we could just deal with the fact that it takes fewer and fewer people to make
eridani
Dec 2012
#238
Is it possible to regulate any economic system of a complex society, such that...
NoOneMan
Dec 2012
#26
We may not even have a society in 100 years, thanks in some part to capitalism
NoOneMan
Dec 2012
#34
Amen. We are just now seeing the 'awesome' results of capitalism. Wait 50 yrs & get back to us.nt
Nay
Dec 2012
#122
it has. it's also ruined the lives of millions. so on balance it's a wash at best.
HiPointDem
Dec 2012
#23
Of course Capitalism has made the world better. Even Marxists won't argue that point.
white_wolf
Dec 2012
#24
Your summary reminds me of corporations I've worked in ... start up companies require one
RKP5637
Dec 2012
#36
Meanwhile, the real standard of living for much of theAmerican & European middle-class has declined.
leveymg
Dec 2012
#45
We tried the Keynesian answer once, from about 1935-1975, but we're back in the same pickle again.
limpyhobbler
Dec 2012
#51
I have thought about a utopian type technological society, actually for a fictional
Cleita
Dec 2012
#153
I would like to nationalize all our natural resources as belonging to the people.
Cleita
Dec 2012
#155
We still would have to socialized medicine, education and other things made by man
Cleita
Dec 2012
#236
During the era of New Deal dominance, we used to call those things public goods
eridani
Dec 2012
#239
You mean the same China where factories put up nets to stop people from committing suicide?
white_wolf
Dec 2012
#58
A China where the PTB goes into a village, mows it down, puts up cheap apt houses, and forces the
Nay
Dec 2012
#121
"Capitalism has defeated Communism in Russia, and Democracy in the US." -Unknown
Fire Walk With Me
Dec 2012
#67
Most of the content of your post is largely about the Green Revolution...
Humanist_Activist
Dec 2012
#75
I just find his argument silly, if those non-profits did the capitalistic thing, those varieties...
Humanist_Activist
Dec 2012
#78
Yes, Capitalism is much better than Feudalism. And much worse than Socialism.
DireStrike
Dec 2012
#77
Have you noticed that none of these "socialist" revolutions were in heavily industrialized nations?
DireStrike
Dec 2012
#90
The basic thought that capital in a capitalist society has to concentrate in the hands of the few is
BrentWil
Dec 2012
#93
Your OP suffers from a general failure to define terms. Let's define 'capitalism' first and
coalition_unwilling
Dec 2012
#81
Slavery is not the problem. Slavery has improved the lives of millions.
Democracyinkind
Dec 2012
#82
Well, good luck to science in the endeavor of unmasking which material benefits
Democracyinkind
Dec 2012
#105
There Were Both Moral And Economic Arguments Against Slavery. They Weren't Mutually Exclusive.
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#99
But Lincoln Saw Slavery Dying Out As A Result Of Its Own Contradictions
DemocratSinceBirth
Dec 2012
#97
See, Assassin's Creed doesn't bother me that much simply because it is clearly fictional.
white_wolf
Dec 2012
#211
Earlg and Elad will be surprised that their work product is simply a gov. project.
lumberjack_jeff
Dec 2012
#137
DU is a very well put together website, but isn't something that hasn't been done before.
white_wolf
Dec 2012
#138
Really there are plenty of bright people and many understand the problems.
Warren Stupidity
Dec 2012
#136
There's a world of difference between "trade" and "markets," and "Capitalism"
Scootaloo
Dec 2012
#157
"The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor." Voltaire
Tierra_y_Libertad
Dec 2012
#163
In general I agree, but with two stipulations. First full participation is essential
1-Old-Man
Dec 2012
#167
Capitalism brought misery, cultural displacement and exile for numerous peoples.
MichaelMcGuire
Dec 2012
#200