In defense of Capitalism:

Capitalism at work. Sort of.

I promised it, and here it is. If you haven't read my most recent post, Batman part 2, then I suggest it. I discuss the problems with Communism, and I promised to explain why Capitalism is superior. Here I will seek to justify not only the Capitalistic economic idea but the American representative republic system of government. As this is a lengthy topic, I will endeavor to keep my comments brief.

To begin, it is important to remember what Churchill said about democracy: “Democracy is the worst form of government. Except for all the others.” This statement reveals the underlying truth behind all governmental systems made by humans. Because humans are fallen creatures, we are imperfect, corrupt, and evil at our core. It naturally follows that everything we come up with will be flawed some how. That being said, humans are capable of creating very good things, in spite of their "fallen-ness." The American system is one of those things. Why? I explain:

#1: The American system of government acknowledges the truth of God and of human nature.

Many people will tell you that the founding fathers of America were all devout Christians, and that our system of government is based on the Bible. Neither of these things are exactly true, but the fathers certainly applied a series of ideas that are compatible with the Biblical worldview. The idea of higher law, for instance, is the idea that the citizens of the country, as well as the rulers of the country, are accountable to the same law. No one is above the law, not even the President. He is accountable to the Representative bodies as well as the courts. This implies that there is absolute truth, absolute right and wrong, and that humans are accountable to a higher power.

#2: Capitalism is a superior economics system to socialism.

I pointed out the problems with socialism in the previous post. While capitalism seems to many to be a system of greed and corruption, it is not. The people who are a part of the market may be greedy and corrupt, but greed and corruption do not actually give you a leg up in capitalism. When the market drives what is produced, suppliers are forced to give the customer what they want at a price they can afford, or they will fail. It sounds harsh, but it is the only way to ensure that the products needed by society will be produced. It also forces businesses to at least act civilized when dealing with customers. If the customer doesn't like how they are treated, they may not come back. Many people argue that capitalism does nothing to even the playing field so that everyone can have what they need. The truth is that no other system is as level as capitalism. Everyone starts at the same point. Their rewards are not always equal, because producers receive rewards only equal to the amount of work they do, and the extent to which they please customers. Capitalism actually fosters good service and levels the playing field in ways that socialism cannot.

#3: The American system actively protects against totalitarianism.

America is one of the few places on earth where the ruler of the country is replaced at a set interval of years, and the transition from one administration to another does not spark violence. Every so often, all of our representatives (with the exception of the supreme court) are replaced. This causes representatives to be more conscious of the desires of their constituency, making America's government all the more for, of, and by the people.

It is important to keep in mind that the American system is by no means perfect, or even close. But it is, for sure, better than “all the other ones.”

~Steven Hamilton