General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Noam Chomsky: The Democratic Party is now in the hands of Moderate Republicans. [View all]ellennelle
(614 posts)and decades ago, i might have agreed with that assessment.
but for two huge reasons, i can no longer support a "well-regulated capitalism;" sort of like a restrained psychotic. or, a well-regulated militia. we see where that got us.
but, i digress. the first reason is history, which has proven over and over and over and over again that capitalism is by its very nature and design, orthogonal to democratic principles, and a-moral.
second, we as a species do not have the luxury to keep tweeking this damn chronically failed system that essentially amounts to an excuse to be greedy.
in a more forgiving universe, we could perpetuate every conceivable adjustment to make it run more smoothly and make everyone suddenly play nice, but it has never ever worked in the past for very long at all (the capitalism allowed in socialist governments such as scandinavian etc. run the risks of capitalist competition that will likely swallow it whole; watch for that with the TTIP); its ugly head keeps popping up to devour everything in its path.
and in the process, destroy the very planet that sustains us. at least, that is, until it doesn't.
i have no doubt you're familiar with naomi klein's this changes everything. she lays out fairly clearly how capitalism is what has unleashed the changes that are making this planet uninhabitable for us and a whole host of other species.
at some point, we have to start thinking of the common good as our responsibility and redemption, and recognize we're all in this together. there is no evidence that the selfish individualism that fuels capitalism offers any hope for humanity or the planet at this point.
some may worry about being "enslaved" by the "tyranny" of socialism, but it might hold our only hope for correcting the destructive impulses of capitalism and saving the planet from them.