Capitalism

[*crikey*mate*]

An economic system based on the private ownership of capital goods and the private ownership of the means of production. The aim of which is to create those goods and services for wealth generation within the free market.

 Is this economic model under which you want to live?

[poddster]

Theworld???   ido???   pwhat???

Will the real wordsmith pleas stand up.

It isn't even saturday night 🙂

[poddster]

*please*

[monman12]

"the average working week has not decreased - in fact many people are working longer hours than they would have done  50 years ago"

ABS

While it may seem as if Australians are working longer hours than ever, the average actual hours worked per employed person have decreased over the past 32 years.

"Capitalists could make even more money on our blood sweat and tears..." If hackneyed whinging was a tradable commodity there are one or two with a fortune in options here."

[the_great_she_elephant]

Will the real wordsmith pleas stand up.

It isn't even saturday night 🙂

Unfortunately, Poddy,  typos are somewhat of an occupational hazard when using an ipad. Normally I don't bother to correct them - I figure most people have enough intelligence to overlook them - it would appear, however that I'm going to have to make an exception in your case.

So, specially for you: 

The world is an inanimate object, it is incapable of either owing or being owed anything.

The question we should be asking is what do each one of us, individually and as a community owe to each other?

[sprinklespowerpuff]

What is it with some people who feel the need to jump in and correct your English on  these boards when it's obvious in most cases that the miss-spelled words are typos. Annoying.X-(

[cueperkins]

Why is it that whenever Capitalism is questioned in all its unconscionable glory, the fear jockey's start peddling the alternative as socialism or dreaded communism?. If you look closely there's an obvious agenda in all that BS.

Australia is an EGALITARIAN country.  Once upon a time we even believed in, and fought for the concept of a 'Fair Go'. 

So can we assume that under the present predatory user pay economic 'regime', the Aussie 'Fair Go', is now just communism or socialism in another hat?

What really is the difference between Capitalism vs Socialism - other than who's on the other end of Govt handouts?

e.g. When Govts are seen to be giving 'handouts' to the masses it's called socialism & it's vewy vewy bad......allegedly...... but when those same Govts are bailing out banks, Stock Exchanges, Motor Industries etc at the expense of those same masses, it's not called a hand out, or considered 'socialism' by comparison.  What is it then?.. Corporate welfare maybe?  But wait, isn't welfare a bad thing?  Apparently not....

One has to conclude at some stage (as many social commentators have done) that we live in a society where it's actually Socialism for the Rich and capitalism for the poor. =

"a classical political economic argument, stating that in the advanced capitalist societies state policies assure that more resources flow to the rich than to the poor.  The term corporate welfare is widely used to describe the bestowal of favourable treatment to particular corporations by the government.  One of the most commonly raised forms of criticism are statements that the capitalist political economy toward large corporations allows them to Privatise Profits and Socialise Losses."

Insurance companies would be the first obvious example of socialising losses while privatising profits....we pay thru the nose for natural disasters etc via premium hikes across the board don't we? 

Electricity companies =OBSCENE profits are privatised, while Infrastructure deficits/losses are socialised to the masses to pay = we're funding the infrastructure upon which they'll continue to rake in obscene profits.  Crazy !!!   

[sprinklespowerpuff]

Totally agree with your comment re electricity companies, Cue. The government needs to step in here but they are probably part of the problem. Your thoughts on that?

[cueperkins]

My Thoughts? 

Unfortunately I think Aussies need to start understanding that we no longer live in a democracy, but rather a PLUTOCRACY - look it up - you'll be nodding your head as you read about it. 

Thing is....as Michael Moore, John Pilger and MANY other notable social commentators have said...WE outnumber them....& until we GET THAT & literally demand change....we'll just go on living in the same 'sell the farm' groundhog day from one generation to the next with Pollies that resemble 'Snake Oil Salesmen"

A Political Integrity commission (similar to ICAC) = needs to be installed sooner rather than later.  Pollies are the only profession that has no accountability standards when it comes to their 'customers'  i.e. the electorate. = the public have no redress against lying pollies and that just flies in the face of 'natural justice'.  

[cueperkins]

The Answer?....Go Solar...it's easier and much simpler than they make it out to be....It's not in the interests of the mining industry to let solar become popular....why is that do ya reckon?....competition?...lol.   Why do we pay for ACCC to make sure competition is promoted then?  & not stifled?  More wasted taxes for a bureaucracy that does NOTHING basically !!!

I've looked right into solar & it's not only cost effective these days, it's actually profitable.   Mums the word though because the mining elite will get their noses out of joint if we go getting independent of them and stuff......:O

What happened to the Aussie Spirit ?  A Fair Go?  (is that now politically incorrect too?)

John  Williamson - True Blue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceWKrsJX9N4

[carls*world]

It's not the systems themselves (capitalism, socialism, or communism) that are at fault - it's human greed.

I remember my dad predicting rather naively many years ago that, with the huge advances in technology, by the 21st century we'd all probably only need to work three or four days a week and the pressing concern would be what to do with all our extra leisure-time. 

When the reality of it turns out, the few who have kept jobs still work full time, a considerable increase in part time (equating to the "average" figure above) and the rest told to "find" new jobs. It wasn't individuals' work hours that were reduced, but the number of workers required to perform the equivalent duties.