Capitalism or Socialism: Which One Is More Democratic?
What is the difference between free-market capitalism and democratic socialism? And which system is actually more fair and responsive to the needs of the people? Here’s a hint: names can be deceiving. Dinesh D’Souza has the answers.
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Script:
Why is socialism so popular?
Less than ten years ago you couldn’t refer to “socialism” in a positive way and hope to have a career in American politics.
Socialism was referred to as the “s” word.
Now it is affirmed, either explicitly or implicitly, by just about everyone on the Left.
And, amazingly, given socialism’s record of failure, the socialists seem to be gaining ground.
Why? What makes socialism so attractive to so many?
Socialism, according to its proponents, is more democratic and therefore more moral than capitalism.
Leftist filmmaker Michael Moore explains it for us.
“Democratic socialism means everyone has a seat at the table and everybody gets a slice of the pie.”
The famed socialist writer Irving Howe wrote something similar in his 1982 autobiography, “We believe that the democracy…in our political life should also be extended deeply into economic life.”
The basic idea here is that socialism is vindicated through its roots in popular consent. If a majority of people, working through their elected representatives, declares something to be a public entitlement — say free college or free healthcare — then they are justified in extracting resources from those who create wealth to pay for it.
As Nathan Robinson argues in his book Why You Should Be a Socialist, the moral imperative is to place the economy under the control of “the people.”
Sounds good, at least superficially… until you dig a bit below the surface.
First, what direct control do “the people” really have over any government institution? What control do the British people have over the National Health Service? What control do Americans have over the Department of Motor Vehicles or the U.S. Post Office? The answer of course is none. Given its practical impossibility, genuine popular control over government institutions is a mirage.
Second, what if 51 percent of Americans vote to confiscate the resources of a single person, say Bill Gates? Does that make it right?
Under an authoritarian socialist government, a single dictator seizes the fruits of your labor. Everyone is against that. Under democratic socialism, a majority does. The end result is the same — you’ve been robbed.
The fundamental problem with democratic socialism, however, is its assumption that in a free market system, the economy is not under the control of the people. This is exactly the opposite of how things work.
Let me explain.
Each of us are not only citizens; we are also consumers. These are overlapping categories: every citizen is a consumer, and every consumer is also a citizen. The consumer, like the citizen, is a voter. As citizens, we vote once every two or four years; as consumers, we vote many times a day.
The citizen votes with a ballot which costs him nothing, except the inconvenience of going to the polls. The consumer votes with his money which costs him a lot — all the time and effort he put in to earn that money.
Only a fraction of citizens are eligible to vote at the ballot box, but every consumer votes in the marketplace—even felons, even children. Illegal aliens cannot vote for political candidates, but they too vote with their money. Moreover, citizens participate in a system of representative democracy — their views are filtered through the politicians who represent them. Consumers, by contrast, vote in a system of direct democracy.
If you prefer an Audi to a Lexus or the Apple iPhone to the Samsung Galaxy, you don’t have to elect some other guy to exercise these preferences; you do it directly yourself, by paying for them. Here we see the secret of how those billionaires like Jeff Bezos got so rich. We made them rich! The inequality that socialists complain about is the result of popular mandate. Want fewer billionaires? Stop buying their stuff!
For the complete script visit: https://www.prageru.com/video/capitalism-or-socialism-which-one-is-more-democratic
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Sounds great that's why we should defund the police replace with private security if you need protection you shop for it. If you want your garbage picked up hire a company why should I pay to pickup your trash. Some things are for the common good.If Capitalism works so well why do oil companies need subsidies? When Trump got covid what was his out of pocket expenses? $0 ! He went to a government run hospital with no profit motive.
Socialism gives people the right to vote themselves democratically into slavery.
Socialism isn’t communism, socialism is not about taking control it’s about letting the people who work in jobs having more control. Capitalism is about greed people didn’t build the phone for you they made it to make money.
The answer is communism the most democratic freedom capitalism does not offer freedom it offers the illusion of being free
Both of those systems can be either. There have been oligarchic capitalist systems and there have been libertarian socialist systems – although, admittedly, the former is much easier to pull off.
All forms of Collectivism are theoretically predicated on altruistic endeavors, in reality they are predicated on the expectation of altruism from an all powerful government. This has been shown throughout history to be monumentally flawed. Government is the problem, laissez-faire is the solution.
*Critique and Counter-Argument: "Capitalism or Socialism: Which One Is More Democratic?" After Watching the Video*
*Critique:*
1. *Overgeneralization of Socialism:* The video paints socialism with a broad brush, not acknowledging the diverse forms and degrees of socialism seen globally.
2. *Misunderstanding Democratic Socialism:* The video suggests that democratic socialism is about taking away individual wealth. This is misleading. Democratic socialism is more about ensuring everyone's basic needs are met, not about seizing all assets.
3. *Consumer Choice Doesn't Equal Democracy:* The video's claim that capitalism's consumer choice is a form of democracy is problematic. Purchasing power limits consumer choice, whereas in a democracy, every vote should count equally.
4. *Highlighting Select Success Stories:* By focusing on Steve Jobs as a capitalist success, the video neglects the countless entrepreneurs who, despite their efforts and innovations, don't achieve such success.
5. *Assumption of Perfect Consumer Knowledge:* The video seems to assume that consumers always have complete information and make choices based purely on the merit of products, overlooking the significant role of marketing.
*Counter-Argument:*
1. *The Spectrum of Socialism:* Socialism has many forms. For instance, Nordic countries mix free-market capitalism with robust welfare systems, achieving both economic growth and societal welfare. Their consistent high rankings in happiness and living standards show that a blend of capitalism and socialism can be democratic and effective.
2. *The True Goal of Democratic Socialism:* Democratic socialism seeks to address the imbalances that can arise in capitalism. It's not about taking all of Bill Gates' assets but ensuring that such vast wealth doesn't unduly influence societal and political outcomes.
3. *Consumer vs. Democratic Choice:* While the video argues that consumers "vote" with their wallets, this system inherently gives more "votes" to the wealthy. In a democratic political system, each individual has an equal vote. The video's comparison of the two overlooks this inherent inequality.
4. *Acknowledging Collective Contributions:* While the video celebrates figures like Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos, it's essential to recognize that their success was built on the collective efforts of many employees and societal infrastructure. Socialism acknowledges this collective contribution and aims for a more equitable distribution of rewards.
5. *Addressing Market Shortcomings:* Capitalism is efficient in many respects but also has its shortcomings, such as environmental issues and economic instabilities. Socialism aims to address these by introducing necessary regulations to ensure society's long-term well-being.
6. *Moral Foundations:* The moral foundation of any economic system should be the well-being of its participants. While capitalism is great for fostering innovation and growth, socialism emphasizes equality and well-being. A genuinely democratic system would harness both strengths to ensure growth that benefits everyone.
In conclusion, after watching the video, it's clear that the debate between capitalism and socialism isn't black and white. Many prosperous nations blend elements of both, creating systems that encourage growth, innovation, and societal welfare. The "democracy" of an economic system should be gauged by how well it serves its people, not just in consumer choices but in overall quality of life.
1. you didn't give a definition of socialism. socialism is social ownership of the means of production and nothing more. so there won't be millioners to rob their wealth.
2. free market? how old are you to believe in it?
I think people think that when democrats get up on the podium and start spouting off about things like "wealth distribution" that these are just ideas an not actually procedures that are being put into place. These people are literally unconstitutionally (unlawfully) taxing peoples money and laundering it into some nonsensical government program. A waste!
Socialism is a scam where the ruling party acts like a mafia. Under capitalism you can be poor, rich, or middle class. Your choice
Leonardo Castellani warned us that capitalism and communism «coincidence in their mystical core: both seek the Earthly Paradise through technique; and its mysticism is a technolatric and anthropolatrous messianism, whose diffusion we see today everywhere, and whose direction is the deification of man; which one day will be incarnated in A Man». He also pointed out that capitalism and communism had a common mission entrusted to them, which is none other than to reduce the Christian order to rubble: communism without masks or dissimulations; capitalism in a much more sneaky way, deviously assuring that his intention is to defend it. Hence, as Álvaro d'Ors affirmed, communism can at least make martyrs, while capitalism only makes heretics and perverts. Castellani prophetically envisioned that capitalism and communism would end up becoming amalgamated, through a "feat of the Antichrist."
Capitalism is more moral than socialism? Is that why 1% of the population owns 50% of the wealth?
quite misleading, you should talk about the theory of how socialism came about and why it does or doesn’t work
Yes, it is ethical to confiscate Bill Gates money.
ok let me explain to this idiot
socialism is were the people are in control the government puts out wishes into practice look at Cuba they beat the USA in almost every standard of living metric and Cubans are begging the USA to life all the trade embargo’s and economic warfare on them because socialism does work how do you think the USSR was around for nearly 100 years
Socialism is the same thing as democracy the question should be a no brainer.
Capitalism is a dictatorship of the owner.
Socialism is cooperative ownership. Worker democracy.
Do these dipshits even know the definition of socialism
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT MOST CAPITALISTS BELIFS ON DEMOCRACY AND THE OVERTHOW OF DEMOCRACTIC SOCIALIST NATIONS INTO AUTHATARIAN CAPITALISIM I CAN CONFLIM THAT SOCIALISM IS MORE DEMOCRACTIC THAN CAPITALISM
Socialism is a higher form of industrialization
I hate how people don’t understand that both of these options are bad and unfair. The government just gives these options to you so you don’t realize there are better options such as an in between
The fact that he actually suggested that billionaires in this country are the result of popular demand is absolutely insane. People can’t afford to just “stop buying their stuff. They monopolized the market! There is no other option. And as a result for the lack of accountability that this country has on corporations they can basically get away with whatever they want.
The question is which one is more moral and obviously that's capitalism as that involves freedom to choose over government force. Democracy is not a good without limitations. If two men and one woman are trapped on a desert island and the two men vote to rape the woman, that's very democratic… but it's still immoral.
in the USSR every one no matter the job he is able to feed his family have a nice flat and educate till university his family.Also many other benefits.In the us the workers cant educate their family and they struggle paying for their needs.
For suggestions: see film theory lorax, it also has a similar explanation
How come every anti-capitalist has no problem using the comforts and inventions that come from capitalism? They are interviewed on the street with their iPhones and their Gucci watch while talking about how bad capitalism is. Then they’ll go home to their air conditioned apartment and enjoy all the comforts that were made possible by Capitalist people.
They say socialism and Communism fail… I think they need to read up on why it failed, the right wing didn’t like the fact they were being proven wrong so they blockaded and/or attacked said nations. Here’s a list of socialist/communist nations that worked fine u til America did it’s thing
1. Revolutionary Catalonia was anarcho communist and only reason it failed was invasion by fascists
2. Cuba, Cuba works fine and the people say their lives have improved in Cuba with free healthcare and more hospitals as well as they now get fair pay
3. Lenin’s Russia worked fine then Stalin got into power and created a hell hole state capitalist dictatorship
Then there’s also the China argument saying “chinas a authoritarian dictatorship” and my response to that is “and their capitalist, they have millionaires in their nation, they are capitalist now” and North Korea is state capitalist not capitalist
I don't care which is more democratic. I care that its a fact socialism does not work
Well I believe that the left is talking about a modified version of this. The version that you are referring to is the most extreme. We are talking about taking some of what works in Europe and making them work for us. For example, I don't believe that older people that have to go to a nursing home should have to lose their life savings paying for this. Having a tax for this would be considered socialist by Republicans.
Cool, so your primary argument is, that voting with money is better than voting with a ballot paper, what means that you prefer manipulated elections over the democratic ones. This point of view is clearly undemocratic. If a person "votes" for the cereal with the prettiest cover or because it promises to be exceedingly healthy (what is a lie in most cases), they have been controlled in their vote. It is not the best product that wins the competition, it is the one that blends you the most.
If this principle was true PragerU could choose not to be on youtube at all not participating in Google's monopolistic People-Farm and still become wildly successful. but you are stuck on youtube complaining about the censorship of youtube. why?
As a "capitalist" I can say that Socialism is way more democratic than capitalism.
Which only makes the case for socialism even worse as I already don't like democracy.
of course it's biased lol
socialism is attractive because people want free stuff
Socialism is on the rise because we're tired of letting billionaires and corporations steal from us all and destroy our society. The blatant greed and f**kery during this pandemic has just thrown it into hyper drive. I think he forgot to mention the lobbying and special interest groups that are paying for this video. That those people have no interest in socialism because it takes away from their excessive wealth and power. 👍
Pure Communism and pure Capitalism are flawed systems. People need incentive to learn and work, right. The problem is that almost all if not all of the 7 deadly sins are brought out in people from pure Capitalism.
A hybrid system somewhere between Democratic Capitalism/Socialism (not Communism) might be the right balance.