Capitalism: Pro or Con?

We live in a world where the top 1% control 40% of the worlds wealth and resources. It is funny to note then, that, in this world, the number of impoverished nations far outweigh those of the developed nations. Over the past 50 years the poor to rich ratio has increased from 34:1 to 74:1* and over 64% of the nation live under $1 a day*. Out of all the institutionalised belief systems, which includes religious institutions, educational institutions, government institutions, none is more dangerous, manipulative, exploitative and destructive than the monetary system. The saddest aspect of this is that we take for it granted. 

The Monetary system:

There are 2 main methods by which wealth is distributed. For those who have had a good understanding of the two main methods of governance would know that wealth is either distributed via a centralised means (Communism) or via decentralised (Capitalist) means. Thanks to history, it is clear that a centralised method of wealth control is by far much more destructive than the latter. All nations from USSR to Cambodia (Khymer Rouge) to North Korea have failed miserably and in their failure took hundreds of thousands of lives. However, the decentralised, free, open and independent economic reform should have been the holy grail of modern society right? 

Greece, Spain, and Italy and are on the verge of a financial collapse. America, the leader of the revolutionary ideology behind free market economies is under severe debt, which, most economists argue, is impossible to pay off as the interest is compounded each year. With the collapse of the American market, the rest of the world would be plunged into a financial doom that may take several years to recover, this is if it does not lead to anarchy. There was a time during the great depression when a loaf of bread cost up to $20 and if a basket full of cash was left unattended, then the basket would be stolen leaving behind the cash. What causes this financial collapse? The process and debt. 

In order for capitalism to work, consumption MUST occur. When consumption stops, jobs are lost and factories are closed. Unfortunately, there are only so many Iphone 4, Ipads, Iphone 4S and laptops one needs and thus the demand for this product decreases, causing loss of jobs. Add to this, the inflation of manufactured demand (by decreasing supply of said product), and the amount of debt the average individual has, and the most important factor of them all, corruption. Mixing these ingredients, it is very difficult to wonder, why didnt we have this collapse a good ten years ago?

Greed, Corruption and Civilisation

For as long as man has existed, greed and corruption (of some kind) have been his/her intrinsic flaws. In comparison, a corrupt socialist (or communist) government would lead to the wanton destruction of human lives as seen in North Korea, the Bolshevick uprising, and perhaps the most notorious of all, Khymer Rouge. The corrupt capitalist government however is far more subtle, working in the thinly covered veil of freedom. 

No one is more enslaved than those who believe they are free: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This is the ultimate goal of the alleged free market economy is to devise man into thinking that he is completely free to do what ever he/she wants. Today, there are more than 200 million debt bonded labourers thinking they are free and have to earn their living in parts of Africa, Cambodia, Malaysia, China and India. The amount of veiled slavery today is by far greater than all the historical accounts of slavery from the Roman empire to today. 

Yet, one could argue that, a well formed government would not let these countries to ruin correct? Unfortunately, this is never the case. Take 

1. Bolivia, an already impoverished nation sells its water supply (with the hand of a dictator) to a corporation which then sells it back to the public at exorbitant rates. 
2. Jamaica, once a normal economy takes debt to invest in coffee and chocolate plantations from the IMF. Due to immense competition created by free trade agreements, Jamaica quickly became one of the most impoverished nations in the world
3. India, a nation already heavily corrupt by socialist governments obtains bribes by large corporate organisations to pollute, exploit and devastate the economy further

This list is not exhaustive and can go on for a hundred more points, however the real point one must come to is this: All organisations seek to obtain one goal, Profit. Without profit, the purpose of the organisation is pointless, therefore an organisation would stop at nothing to maximise profits. Ultimately, money is fancy drawings on a piece of paper or plastic which has a wide social acceptance of perceived value. This value should not be substituted for anything. Some examples of evident slavery are:

1. When an employer (most common in the entertainment industry) performs couch casting
2. An employer works a human over 12 to 18 hours a day (main reasons for outsourcing in countries like India where the average IT consultant works that long)
3. The environment is plundered and destroyed in order to cut costs
4. Monopolising an industry to drive all others out of business
5. Laying of employees when there is low (or no) demand, yet the company is valued in billions 
6. Giving up values, beliefs and principles to bow to the monetary system

Costs of enslavement

The costs of this enslavement are obvious. 

1. Subsequent and irreversible damage  to our ecosystems.
2. Greater stratification of classes, IE loss of equality.
3. Increase in homicidal crime rates.
4. Lower quality of life.
5. Decreased life expectancy. 
6. Loss of values for the younger generation 
1. How many teenage pregnancies do we have today than 20 years ago?
2. How greater is the increase in under-age violence?
3. Increment in youth drug abuse
7. Compromise in lifestyle

Ultimately, this system cannot continue for more than 20 or 30 years. 

What can be done?

We need to understand that finance is only a piece of paper worth the number printed on it. In todays money run world, we are all enslaved into thinking we are worth what our bank statement states. No, quite far from it. We have no limitations or boundaries. There is a need for a monetary system as it stratifies who works hard and who lazes behind but not at the cost of his/her life. This is the understanding most humans need to go through, see that it is only a play, and at the time of death, not a single needle can be taken with you.