I am glad to see people discussing this stuff however, I see the trend to 'group' into Left/Right or Capitalist vs. Socialist. I submit that there is a time for each. I have gone back and read Mien Kompf, Das Kapital and Wealth of Nations. Each book was a great deal different than I had been taught in school. Mien Kompf didn't exactly batter the 'Jews' so much as he did the "International Jew", they are not the same thing. Karl Marx says a number of times that capitalism is the most productive economic system. Adam Smith just totally ignored the effects that caused the Irish to starve 50 years later.
Early American wealth was the result of low taxes, shipbuilding innovations, advancements in cotton quality, cotton production, sugar cane and tobacco. Adam Smith says that American wages were much higher than England's in about 1760. All of the above happened because of 'capitalist profit pigs' not being oppressed by monarch governments. By 1850 America had more rail roads than any nation on earth, every major line was started with the assistance, or complete financing by federal, state and local governments. That is socialism at its best, however most railroads were financial failures. When individuals such as Geo Westinghouse, Andrew Carnegie and JP Morgan got involved, the railroads profited. The reasons were from technical developments in machines, materials and financing. That is capitalism at its best, however it lead to labor practices that made American chattel (african) slavery look like a leisure vacation.
The path to happiness is like sailing into the wind. You cannot sail directly to your goal, you must tack. If you sail too 'close hauled', your boat will stall. If you sail a 'broad reach', your boat will go fast, but not in the right direction. I blame unrestricted capitalism for the Calumet disaster of 1913 and the needless starvation of the Irish in the 19th century. I blame unrestricted socialism for the starvation of the Russians in 1922 and 1932. The Nazi's are a case of 'sailing a broad reach'. There economy was the most efficient in the history of the world, but it brought despair and tragedy. It accomplished no one's goals.
So, what do we do? First, we should read James Madison's Federalist Paper #10. Next we must stop 'grouping' by 'isms'. A socialist can have a good idea! Most capitalists are not profit pigs! Guys like Lenin, Stalin and Mao, may say that are communists, but what they practiced seems a very far cry from the Karl Marx that I read. Embrace republicanism (notice not a capital R). Democracy is great, but no citizen has the time to keep up with everything. Large groups cannot compromise well. We must have representatives do that work for us. Lastly, keep our eye on our goals.
What are our goals? I am not sure who to credit, be it Jefferson, Locke, Paine or the guy pushing the tomato cart, but it seems that Life, Liberty and Happiness are the three I like best.
