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[Strife26]

Capitalism produces competition which creates efficiency. Overproduction decreases efficiency and is avoided as much as possible.

[Nadaka]

However, even free enterprise must be tempered by morality, or it will be abused by individuals and companies such as Walmart.

Agreed. Morality should take precedence before all else.

You see. That is the problem with every form of government/economy. While people are on average moral, there are a lot of people that are not. Immorality can grant an advantage under any system. And these people will eventually rise to power and corrupt it.

[codezero]

China is a Communist state*, although possibly a revisionist one. It follows Socialism With Chinese Characteristics, but it is a Communist state that is following Maoism, even if they don't like Mao's actions.

China has 1/5 the GDP of the US. It has the potential to be richer than the US...but not now.

EDIT: *By Communist State, I mean a state that is attempting to reach the ideal stage of Communism. All Communist States have declared that they are all currently "socialist". Communism is the ideal, it has not been achieved yet.

Thanks for clarifying, maybe that's where their sense of communal purpose comes from.

As to rich potential, you're right there.

The US external debt is 95% of it's GDP, whilst China's is 5%.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_external_debt

But that's nothing compared to the current account comparison:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_current_account_balance

Here's a choice quote from wikipedia, I think it's a pretty simile to comparing nations' wealth;
"A current account surplus increases a country's net foreign assets by the corresponding amount, and a current account deficit does the reverse."

Looks like the old guard is on it's way out financially. I guess activity -> money -> leisure -> indolence -> misery -> activity

[RAM]

Effectiveness is more competitive than efficiency, competition is inherently inefficient.

[Jude]

What does one replace capitalism with?

Regulated semi-capitalism with socialist elements such that the people with all the means of production don't fuck over everyone else in any number of ways that they can and have, whether its sweatshops or collapsing the world economy

[The Architect]

Anyone know how to remove a pointless topic from your watchlist?

[3]

Profile -> Notifications.

[The Architect]

Profile -> Notifications.

I'm not talking about email notifications. I want to take it off the "replies to my posts" section.

[3]

Hm? I thought that was what that section did.
You might be able to edit the post and untick the box from the "additional options" bit if you did things that way, or click the "Notify" button if that works.

[The Architect]

The additional options button should work for me, thanks. Well... it's already unticked. Odd. Let's see if this works.

[PTTG??]

However, isn't Socialism essentially "baby Communism?" Pretty much all of Europe is socialist, and the U.S. is starting to lean that way too.

Yes, Socialism is "baby" communism in the same way capitalism is "baby" fascism.
Look, I know what you're thinking here: Obama's a Socialist who's nominating death squads to kill old people and give out mandatory abortions. This is not true. Obama's a conservative-leaning moderate. His planned health care thing is a rather mild and extremely compromised form of what has become standard throughout the western world. Fox is a punditry channel and not a news organization.

What is called Socialism in the US is moderate in every other country. Do you presume to say that they are all the wrong ones?

It is impossible to correct an instrument that is misaligned; no computer can adjust a camera to the correct color balance, because it does not know the true colors. Like this computer, humans cannot see anything about the world that isn't colored by their perceptions. But unlike the computer, it is possible for a person to seek to find the truth in bias. It's not easy, and politics thrives on skewing colors until the only ones who look normal are the crazy ones. But I think it can be done.

[The Architect]

Actually, I'm here because I can't stop it from saying someone has "replied to my posts", and I don't want to be here at all. Also, capitalism isn't a form of government nor economy; it's a way of doing business. Free enterprise is what we want, not capitalism. Tell anyone who puts their own monetary gain above the law and morality to go to hell (in other words pursues pure capitalism), and prosecute them legally, but don't take away our free market and give us ****ING socialism.

[Muz]

Capitalism is sometimes very good and sometimes very bad. All-out capitalism means you'd kill people who don't have money, and in the sense of health services that happens.
Communism is good for most people, bad for the people who contribute the most to society. All-out communism means everyone owns the same things. Like being in one huge family (where some people work hard and some lazy asses leave the dishes on the floor because they expect someone else to clean up after them).

Socialism gives the benefits of capitalism but reduces the bad stuff. I love socialism.

[PTTG??]

Oh man... did I post in this thread? Bah, I should stop interneting at 12:25...

And Capitalism goes with Communism because they both have "c", making it easier to chant something like "Capitalism, not Communism!" or so forth.

[kuro_suna]

but don't take away our free market and give us ****ING socialism.

Socialism and free market aren't mutually exclusive unless your a libertarian or watch fox news.