Economic Sentiment Poll

[maladroit]

capitalism isn't improving the lives of many people in poorer countries...it serves the rich first...the blind profit seeking behaviour of capitalism makes errectile dysfunction of a few million rich people a bigger priority than water borne diseases of a few billion poor people


Bill Gates Issues Call For Kinder Capitalism - WSJ.com

Bill Gates Issues Call
For Kinder Capitalism
Famously Competitive,
Billionaire Now Urges
Business to Aid the Poor
By ROBERT A. GUTH
January 24, 2008

Free enterprise has been good to Bill Gates. But today, the Microsoft Corp. chairman will call for a revision of capitalism.

In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the software tycoon plans to call for a "creative capitalism" that uses market forces to address poor-country needs that he feels are being ignored.

"We have to find a way to make the aspects of capitalism that serve wealthier people serve poorer people as well," Mr. Gates will tell world leaders at the forum, according to a copy of the speech seen by The Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Gates isn't abandoning his belief in capitalism as the best economic system. But in an interview with the Journal last week at his Microsoft office in Redmond, Wash., Mr. Gates said that he has grown impatient with the shortcomings of capitalism. He said he has seen those failings first-hand on trips for Microsoft to places like the South African slum of Soweto, and discussed them with dozens of experts on disease and poverty. He has voraciously read about those failings in books that propose new approaches to narrowing the gap between rich and poor.

In particular, he said, he's troubled that advances in technology, health care and education tend to help the rich and bypass the poor. "The rate of improvement for the third that is better off is pretty rapid," he said. "The part that's unsatisfactory is for the bottom third -- two billion of six billion."

*snip*

[GoldenBoy812]

I knew that one of the replies would be from you containing that tone.

The main distinction of the global south from the north is government stability. I shall strike down straw man fallacies with great wrath!

[maladroit]

you didn't say anything about stability when you said "The fact remains that capitalism, with both its goods and bads has improved the living conditions of the societies that has embraced it."

LAY ON MCSTRAWMANDUFF!! And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough'!

[GoldenBoy812]

you didn't say anything about stability when you said "The fact remains that capitalism, with both its goods and bads has improved the living conditions of the societies that has embraced it."

LAY ON MCSTRAWMANDUFF!! And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough'!

Of course i did not, that is because i was not referring to the global south. It might have been a good idea to understand the basis of your rebuttals before you present them, that way i would not have to waste time explaining basic concepts to you. If you want to present anti American propaganda, at least do so in a proper manner. It would make for a more lively debate, as well as give me something of substance to contemplate.

Answer me this... Why would i have to refer to the stability of political systems in the global south, when i was in fact describing the global north? It is you who should have been keen enough to cover your tracks, since you were the one to bring it up. Either that, or refrain from barking up the wrong tree.

[rebgirl420]

It will bounce back. It always does. The market is just fixing itself.

I hope people learn from this mess and make stricter laws and rules about who gets loans and mortgages. Right now they are giving them to every Joe Schmoe that walks through the door. It's part predaztor lending but it's mostly the fact that Liberals have been making sure these matters are "equal oppurtunity" or "fair lending". Which REALLY means "taking money even though you know you can't afford it" or "I just glimpsed over the small print instead of reading it through".

What ever happened to saving up and working hard to support your family, house, car, etc.? Now everyone thinks they are entitled to this shit (just like healthcare).

[GoldenBoy812]

It's part predaztor lending but it's mostly the fact that Liberals have been making sure these matters are "equal oppurtunity" or "fair lending". Which REALLY means "taking money even though you know you can't afford it" or "I just glimpsed over the small print instead of reading it through".

This is the proverbial fuel to the fire, with respects to the current economic crisis. Yes investment firms were over leveraged, but there was a spike in sub prime debt to encourage this trend.

What ever happened to saving up and working hard to support your family, house, car, etc.? Now everyone thinks they are entitled to this shit (just like healthcare).

I wonder the same thing.

That is why you cannot try to provide equal rules to everyone. By doing so, you are hoping that everyone will do the right thing, or at least try to do so. When this fails to materialize, margins are called and the people who are debating me cry foul when they are the ones calling for equal opportunity.

[allrollsin21]

"The fact remains that capitalism, with both its goods and bads has improved the living conditions of the societies that has embraced it."


This "Fact" is completely subjective. For some having the creature comforts, so called 'basic sanitation', capitalist goods and services, is an improvement. Not for all. There are people who grow there own foods, make their own clothes, shit in the woods, and drink water from the streams. All the while smiling as much if not more than Joe the robot watching the television.

And there are villagers the world over attempting to embrace capitalism only to have factories pull out of their towns, leaving them with televisions they cannot afford to plug into a wall.

Yes capitalism has advanced and improved life for SOME people in the societies that have embraced it. I do not think the same can be said for the whole of the societies.
Just as the herb has improved many lives it has touched, but not all...
but definitely mine:thumbsup:

[DaBudhaStank]

Now everyone thinks they are entitled to this shit (just like healthcare).

My mistake, I could have sworn health care IS a right, ya know.....the RIGHT to be able to see a doctor when you're sick or injured instead of having to stay home and suck it up? Maybe? It could be just me. People aren't entitled to much, but having your physical well being maintained is DEFINITELY a right, especially when it's threatened by something that's not your fault.

But then, the government has never been a fan of health care in general. Kinda like how veterans often get the total dick when they come home, because they can't afford health care and the government won't do shit to help them.

[JakeMartinez]

Capitalism, as I've said before, is outdated and needs to be completely overhauled.

Just because it's the best thing we've had, it doesn't mean it's the best we can ever hope to achieve.

No matter what, everything that exists in our universe is a product of it, and will constantly be revised and improved or even replaced by something better.

400 or so years is a good run, but it's time to find something better.

[GoldenBoy812]

This "Fact" is completely subjective. For some having the creature comforts, so called 'basic sanitation', capitalist goods and services, is an improvement. Not for all. There are people who grow there own foods, make their own clothes, shit in the woods, and drink water from the streams. All the while smiling as much if not more than Joe the robot watching the television.

Happiness does not equate to standard of living.

And there are villagers the world over attempting to embrace capitalism only to have factories pull out of their towns, leaving them with televisions they cannot afford to plug into a wall.

The societies you site as example have not truly embraced capitalism. Care to give some specific examples?