News Is it time for a new economic system?

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CEO compensation has skyrocketed to 400 times the average worker's pay, up from 40 times in 1980, raising concerns about income inequality. Record profits in the oil and grain sectors coincide with rising food and gas prices, leading to global food riots. The housing market is suffering, with some areas seeing prices drop nearly 50% due to overproduction and predatory practices. Critics argue that capitalism is failing to deliver on its promises, becoming hierarchical and oppressive, while some defend the system, attributing issues to poor U.S. policies rather than capitalism itself. The debate continues over whether to reform the current system or consider alternatives.
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-CEOs now on average make 400x's what their average worker makes. In 1980 it was only 40x's. Many CEOs still make ridiculous amounts of money even when their companies are failing.

-Record oil and grain company profits. Food and gas prices now going through the roof. Food riots popping up all over the globe.


-Depressed housing market. Due to overproduction and other predatory practices, home prices in some markets have now been depressed by almost 50%

-US now mostly a service economy due to massive amounts of outsourcing
 
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Could you at least try to connect those facts to the question you ask in the title? Ie, what do those facts have to do with whether or not capitalism is overrated? And overrated by whom? And how is capitalism even "rated" anyway?
 
Yes. It's a failed system. Capitalism does not work at all like the original economists claimed it would. It has obviously been hierarchical and oppressive, like those and other statistics show, and grossly unfair to the workers.

I think we should start over with a new system.

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/4Inequality.htm

http://www.un.org/popin/unfpa/dispatches/aug96.html
 
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OrbitalPower said:
Yes. It's a failed system. Capitalism does not work at all like the original economists claimed it would. It has obviously been hierarchical and oppressive, like those and other statistics show, and grossly unfair to the workers.

I think we should start over with a new system.

Any suggestions? I kind of like our current one, myself.
 
OrbitalPower said:
Yes. It's a failed system. Capitalism does not work at all like the original economists claimed it would. It has obviously been hierarchical and oppressive, like those and other statistics show, and grossly unfair to the workers.

I think we should start over with a new system.
Our governmental system has also failed to work like political theorists envisioned. We have huge concentrations of political power among large corporations, we have unchecked abuses by executive branches, and we repeatedly have problems with conducting smooth elections.

Should we also abandon democracy?
 
gravenewworld said:
...Many CEOs still make ridiculous amounts of money even when their companies are failing...Record oil and profits...Depressed housing market. Due to overproduction and other predatory practices...
I think the things that you mention has to do with poor internal U.S. policies, rather than capitalism itself. just a thought.
 
g33kski11z said:
I think the things that you mention has to do with poor internal U.S. policies, rather than capitalism itself. just a thought.

So how exactly do you regulate shipping jobs overseas in order to maximize profits? That wouldn't be capitalist then.
 
But since there's already boatloads of trade regulation in the form of embargoes, quotas, tariffs, duties and subsidies, you can hardly say we have a capitalist system in place (particularly one that would be destroyed by enforcing regulations on outsourcing).
 
gravenewworld said:
..So how exactly do you regulate shipping jobs overseas in order to maximize profits?..
I have no idea, I'm not an economist. Like I said, just a thought. I'm sure we could define better policies all around.
 
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Capitalism is not perfect, but I think it is the best system in the world. Surely you are not advocating communism or socialism. It worked out well for the Soviet Union, though, didn't it?
 
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gravenewworld said:
So how exactly do you regulate shipping jobs overseas in order to maximize profits? That wouldn't be capitalist then.

Regulation is the problem with America's market right now. The government should not have the right to tell people how much of their earnings they can keep, how they will operate, and who they will hire. I don't feel it's really a free market anymore, because our government has become borderline socialist. I'd welcome a flat tax rate only for individuals without any special taxes on corporations.
 
  • #12
OrbitalPower said:
Yes. It's a failed system. Capitalism does not work at all like the original economists claimed it would. It has obviously been hierarchical and oppressive, like those and other statistics show, and grossly unfair to the workers.
Grossly unfair to the workers? As in unemployment is fairer? People are free to quit their job at any time, they are not forced to work for a company against their will.

I think we should start over with a new system.

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/4Inequality.htm

http://www.un.org/popin/unfpa/dispatches/aug96.html
What the heck is this, it's from 1996! What are we supposed to be looking at here? "GIVING TEENS A CHOICE IN BOTSWANA"?
 
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