Proud Capitalist Pig

July 7, 2003
by C. S. Wyatt

Great ideas should be rewarded.

Few people argue that great ideas don’t deserve some form of compensation. Copyrights and patents exist to protect the value of ideas. But what about hard work? Or taking risks? Do these also deserve compensation? Again, I think most people would agree there is value attached to work and risk.

Are some skills worth more than others? Maybe this depends on circumstances. When I need food, a farmer is pretty valuable. When I need medical care, a doctor is definitely valuable. This is the basic notion of capitalism: I enter the market for goods or services as a negotiator.

Honestly, I am not at all interested in self-sufficiency. I don’t want to be a farmer. I certainly don’t want to be my own doctor. I think we can agree that there are limits to what any one person can be, especially in our complex modern world — and I am not about to go without the conveniences I love.

“Our capitalist society dehumanizes workers.” Or maybe it’s, “America’s system doesn’t give people the freedom to do what they might be best at.”

That’s right, American capitalism is to blame for all our problems. If only we weren’t such capitalist pigs, all would be better.

Reality has a way of smashing idealism. Not everyone can be whatever he or she wants. Our skills might not match our dreams. Certainly, we need some people to perform tasks few enjoy.

Political and fiscal systems are not to blame for the world’s problems, or even one country’s problems. Blame people — but not specific systems. If anything, our systems have a few more safety valves than most, though people will always want more protection from corruption… and personal failure (or bad luck).

Let’s dispense with confusion between economic and political systems. Any economic system can be democratic. Socialism and communism are economic systems, not political systems — though they affect how political decisions are implemented.

Socialist systems in Europe began as “democratic socialism” and illustrate how socialism is no more or less corrupting than capitalism. Interestingly, the American and European systems are drawing closer to each other. “How is this possible?” people from the EU and U.S. might ask, annoyed anyone dare compare the two models.

European governments, faced with massive debts, aging populations, and inflexible unions have been delicately privatizing formally “nationalized” companies and services. The change to more “capitalism” has been disruptive; the French grew accustomed to public union strikes, for example.

America’s aging population and growing public-sector unions, by contrast, are forcing us to embrace more socialized services and welfare. The “welfare state” was a British term, never accepted as a positive thing in America. Here, we talk about individualism, the rugged West, and such idealized notions.

So, democracy is not inherently laze-faire capitalism, nor is it socialism. My personal opinion is that “pure democracy” inevitably leads toward socialism, as people want to be insulated and protected from their own decisions while having all basic needs (and wants) provided. Who doesn’t want “free” medical care? Maybe they want “guaranteed” retirement. People are self-centered — and it is not a matter of politics.

Some are going to begin gnashing their teeth. “What a right-wing zealot,” I’m sure they are thinking. No. If anything, I do not trust business any more than I trust government or the masses to make wise decisions without checks and balances.

The leadership class is the leadership class. I have no doubt that the leaders of one country would have been the leaders of another — if born into the right circumstances, of course. Political leaders begin as salesmen (and women). Once in power they might act differently, but obtaining power is usually a matter of public relations.

Capitalism, combined with a republican form of government meant to insulate us from the temperamental public whims, seems to work well enough. I dare suggest it works better than most other combinations.

How can this be? Capitalism is all about exploitation!

And socialism isn’t about exploiting the successful? Communism isn’t about exploiting the talented? All systems rely upon at least one group being more successful than others, and thereby providing for the masses.

I had a socialist professor in college. The professor suggested everyone should be allowed to follow his or her dreams. Unlike communism, people would not be forced into jobs they hated. He made a lot of sense, until a classmate asked him, “What if nobody wants to be a garbage man? Or maybe no one really likes cleaning the sewers?”

The answer, “Some people will always like the lower jobs,” was as elitist as anything said by a French monarch. Silly us to assume not enough people like the smell of waste.

And when we asked about the aging of Europe, with fewer and fewer workers paying taxes to support social programs, the answer was immigration. If anyone has watched Europe during the 1990s, the racist politicians started to win elections by attacking new immigrants as dangerous. Immigration is not the answer to supporting retired workers… eventually people might like where they are too much to leave.

Mail comments and suggestions to: cswyatt@tameri.com

These works may be reproduced mechanically or electronically in whole or part on the condition that the author is acknowledged as C. S. Wyatt. These works may not be modified.