[CommanderSock]

I'm more worried about China. Canada is far more connected with it than general statistics show. Their economy cooling off would have greater impact here than a US meltdown.

And not to mention the contagion that would ripple through the global markets.

[bootlegga]

Proculation wrote:

Socialism is the gateway to authoritarianism: a clique taking control helped by government control of the people.

Well, then you better worry, because Canada has been 'socialist' for decades - we must be only a short ways away from an authoritarian government.

[DanSC]

bootlegga wrote:

Well, then you better worry, because Canada has been 'socialist' for decades - we must be only a short ways away from an authoritarian government.

I don't know. Canada's socialist in the same way a distant star bathes the Earth in light.

[bootlegga]

DanSC wrote:

bootlegga wrote:

Well, then you better worry, because Canada has been 'socialist' for decades - we must be only a short ways away from an authoritarian government.

I don't know. Canada's socialist in the same way a distant star bathes the Earth in light.

Not really.

In this thread, Proc has defined socialist states by mentioning the USSR, PR China, etc, but the fact is most Western countries have some aspects of socialism in their economic system (social safety nets), including that bastion of capitalism the United States of America. Of course, that's because they are mixed economies and not pure socialist countries. But a little socialist, IMHO, is still socialist.

As Derby said, reality has shown that very few countries can lay claim to being 100% capitalist or socialist, and most are somewhere in between.

Even calling the PRC a socialist state is off base, because it is private enterprise that is driving their economy (and has been for more than a decade now). After all, Nike isn't buying their products from PRC Shoe Factory #2341, it's buying them from a private company it subcontracted to make them (as do most Western companies).

[Thanos]

Proculation wrote:

.... are you trying to denature capitalism by comparing it to fascism ?

The events in the Axis nations prior to the outbreak of World War Two quite convincingly illustrated that capitalism has no problem whatsoever in allying itself with fascism if it finds it convenient or profitable enough to do so. Capitalism is neither of product of democracy nor of tyranny. It's an outsider that's adaptable enough to the point that it can function quite comfortably with both.

[CommanderSock]

^^
Capitalism can go hand in hand with fascism. It can even go hand in hand with communism really, just like in China.

[DanSC]

Capitalism goes hand in hand with whatever's holding its hand.

[Proculation]

In a capitalist society, there is the Rule of Law and the protection of individual rights. How the hell can you say that fascist states and China (!) are capitalist societies...

[BartSimpson]

Capitalism arises in the presence of a relatively free market and in the presence of a government that enforces legal contracts. Capitalism is a by-product of a free society and it is not the goal of any society I've ever heard of.

China, as it has become freer and less corrupt, has seen capitalism arise naturally. The Communist government didn't set out to make China a 'capitalist' society and I'm sure they'd be offended by that notion.

The United States has slipped from the 8th freest economy to 9th and our economic output reflects this. Meaning that, by steps, we're becoming a *less* capitalist country as capital investment flees the USA for economically freer countries...like Canada.

http://www.newsmax.com/Murdock/US-Index ... /id/383564

[Proculation]

USA is less and less capitalist (thus less free). That will be your demise as a great society. Very bad ...

Don't you have a Constitution to enforce ? Your Founding Fathers would be the first to make another revolution.

[BartSimpson]

Proculation wrote:

USA is less and less capitalist (thus less free). That will be your demise as a great society. Very bad ...

Don't you have a Constitution to enforce ? Your Founding Fathers would be the first to make another revolution.

Our Founding Fathers would be denounced these days as "Right wing radical Constitutionalist militia members".

Prior to 9/11 the official opinion of the Federal Government (found in the FBI's 'Megiddo Report') was that anyone flying a US flag outside their house or calling themselves a patriot should be investigated as a threat to the country.

Seriously. Imagine that. You say you love your country and that you're loyal to it and you love your flag and the government, in turn, sees you as a threat.

All of which would make our Founding Fathers a threat to what our government has become.

[Proculation]

I think the most anti-americanists are now Americans. They totally forgot how your nation went from nothing to the greatest nation in 100 years, because of capitalism.