capitalism vs Socialism. Which is better?

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/just_53_say_capitalism_better_than_socialism

Scary;;;

JR

What was the sample size?  I often wonder who gets asked the questions?  I have not been asked questions for a poll and I have been around a number of decades.

Every time I see reports like this I want to know the sample size, the area in the world the people are asked,  how the people were selected, the way the question is worded...

If this is a "good" poll it is very scary

what exactly is capitalism, what is socialism ?

I often get the impression that in the us, socialism gets associated or even confused with communism or extreme socialism

Yep. "The question posed by Rasmussen Reports did not define either capitalism or socialism" Hmmm... :

I doubt many people have the slightest idea what real ("laissez faire") capitalism is.  To call current economic systems anywhere today capitalistic is a gross distortion.

A much more accurate description of the US for some time now is fascism---which, although we don't (yet?) have the trappings of historical fascism with people marching around and hailing a dictator, is a system where the means of production are nominally in private hands, but the incestuous interpenetration of big business and government makes the appearance of a free market virtually illusory.

Gross oversimplification - the hallmark of conservatives and right-wingers anywhere. Reducing a complex problem to an arbitrary low number of choices won't make any of those choices more true (let alone sensible).

I though this would make a fun Rorschach test for this group....

Somebody needs a hug. :

JR

Neither of them seems to have worked !!! 

MM

I vote for "Martinism" ... that's me doing whatever the hell I want to  ;D

Gross oversimplification - the hallmark of conservatives and right-wingers anywhere

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More accurately, it's the hallmark of any sort of extremist mindset.  Look at Hugo Chavez...in his eyes, you're either for socialism or you're a tool of the imperialist thugs.  Nobody would call him a right-winger.

Rather than ask about a nebulously-defined -ism, a more useful poll would have been to go down a list of policies typically associated with generous welfare states like Sweden: universal health care and pensions, guaranteed secondary education, etc, and see how many people support a universal government-run version as opposed to the privatized versions that are available to many but not all.  After watching Wall Street implode (along with the myth of private sector superiority), I would venture that a majority of Americans would opt for the government version.  Then ask "Should those things be funded by tax increases", and be amazed as the majority of respondents say no.  All Americans want those things for themselves, but nobody wants to bear the tax burden that accompanies them. 

This article from Malcom Gladwell makes a pretty good economic argument as to why pensions and health care ought to be nationalized.  It's ironic that GM, a company that did right by its employees, is going down the tubes precisely because it opted to handle the problem itself, rather than allow government intervention into pensions and health care.

Personally, I'd rather take the tax hit and have universal health care for everybody, regardless of employment status. 

Johnny just love his polytricks...hahaha. Socialism is the middle ground between capitalism and communism. Is it half of each but better than both?

I think they need to ask people what is capitalism and what is Socialism. I would bet that most people do not have a clue as what each one is.

More over both ideas seems pretty good on paper but it takes humanity to distort them into bad ideas.

MartyMart said:

I vote for "Martinism" ... that's me doing whatever the hell I want to  ;D

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I vote for 'Martinizing' -It's the cleanest solution.

Keef

SSLtech said:

MartyMart said:

I vote for "Martinism" ... that's me doing whatever the hell I want to  ;D

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I vote for 'Martinizing' -It's the cleanest solution.

Keef

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It would work for me because I'm not a "violent gun toting idiot" !!  ... but for many others it would just
mean Anarchy !!!!        ( and I wouldn't be able to protect myself .... I'm sure there's a film script in here somewhere )

MM.

Not directed at John as I can see his point of view.

It is not possible to make a firm comment without knowing how the survey is carried out but in principle this is a moronic survey organised by morons. Phoning up people and asking if God is on Rangers' (Protestant) or Celtic's  (Catholic) side has probably more intelligent edge than that.

Also the survey shows that those who replied are completely ignorant to both systems, as for a question like that there would be only one answer. No answer.

Most Socialists consider Capitalism undemocratic, while most Capitalists associate Socialism with Communism.

Fundamentally both systems propose fair and equal distribution of wealth within the society. But the end result is different in both cases because the human greed or complacency gets in the way.  When you have those two, any system will be open to corruption.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDuW3NvjqJY

Marty,

look up "Martinizing"...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinizing_Dry_Cleaning



Keef

I recommend the Laurel and Hardy film, "Utopia".  It was made later in their careers, but great fun with a solid message.
Martinism describes living in the state of Liberty.  Sounds good to me, when tempered by the Tablets and the Golden Rule.
Mike

sodderboy said:

Martinism describes living in the state of Liberty.  Sounds good to me, when tempered by the Tablets and the Golden Rule.
Mike

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Martinism! I like it!

sodderboy said:

Martinism describes living in the state of Liberty.  Sounds good to me

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...Living inside the statue of liberty???

-Doesn't seem as if there'd be much room inside there...

"Martinism" sounds okay.  But what about my taxes? 

You're not going to raise my taxes are you Marty?