Reply #20: I'd have to agree with regulated capitalism as well [View All]

[enigma000]

Sure its caused hardship. But remember, the modern free market is just a couple of centuries old. Even Adam Smith had misgivings about charging interest. And that is a crucial part of capitalism (time/value of money) Real capitalism is a 19th century creation. Social democratic/free market capitalism is a 20th century creation. Heck, we are still modifying it....

So what is the alternative? feudalism? The barter system?

Socialist/Marxist systems may work well in theory, but, I fear, do not account for human nature - people always look for an advantage (e.g. keeping up with the Jones)

Even if you can breed/educate that trait out of people, its hardly productive. Witness Russia: 7 decades of Communism and their birthrate has collapsed - they won't even procreate without instructions from the state.