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@rajk999 saidThese quasi-socialists in here have such fear for monopolies... *unless* it's a communist government monopoly.
They shoot you for a lot less than that.
these poor sob's in Cuba are begging the government to let them go into business.
But no, the Big Monopoly government says, that would be exploiting the people!
(unspoken words - and WE want a full monopoly on exploiting the people)
How the hell do they put up with it.
@earl-of-trumps saidCuba is not far from me and I have been there several times. The people are not happy clearly because boatloads of them die every year trying to get out. There is rampant poverty and basic amenities are non-existant. The people have to put up with it because the consequences are serious.
These quasi-socialists in here have such fear for monopolies... *unless* it's a communist government monopoly.
these poor sob's in Cuba are begging the government to let them go into business.
But no, the Big Monopoly government says, that would be exploiting the people!
How the hell do they put up with it.
@rajk999 saidLast I checked, there are about 890,000 Cubans in Miami, which is more than any city in Cuba except Havana.
Cuba is not far from me and I have been there several times. The people are not happy clearly because boatloads of them die every year trying to get out. There is rampant poverty and basic amenities are non-existant. The people have to put up with it because the consequences are serious.
There are other ex-Cubano settlements in the US, too.
@earl-of-trumps saidI think you’ll find that you are the ignorant one.
Are you this fokking ignorant?
I'll just leave you with this from the Greeks:
Algebra - Deophantis; Trigonometry - Pythagoras; Geometry - Euclid
dude...? jeeezus
“What have the Romans ever done for us?”
Is a joke from The Life of Brian (Monty Python), which leads to aquaducts, roads, etc. Being summed up.
I included it in a post which is a rebuttle to the argument that capitalism is the greatest driving force for innovation, which should have already alerted you to its inclusion (should you not know the movie) being used ironically…
@earl-of-trumps saidThe ancient Greeks certainly excelled at geometry, largely owing to Euclid, and what's taught in schools even today is largely derived from Euclid's Elements.
Are you this fokking ignorant?
I'll just leave you with this from the Greeks:
Algebra - Deophantis; Trigonometry - Pythagoras; Geometry - Euclid
dude...? jeeezus
As for algebra. Well. There are many kinds of algebra, but the kind taught to kids these days is the kind that's more correctly called the theory of equations. So, very specific, but it is the algebra that was developed earliest in history, and really, the Greeks didn't have very much algebra going on. They solved algebraic problems using geometry and other techniques (one might even say hacks) that are largely extinct. So, while the Greeks did contribute to the advancement of algebra, they did not invent or revolutionize it. They added to it.
Thing is, the word "algebra" itself came from Arabic, and it was Arabs, Persians, Indians, and ancient Egyptians who really put it together. And the Hindu-Arabic numerals that we use today have saved us all from going absolutely insane trying to do long division with Roman numerals -- possibly one of the most ill-conceived numeration systems ever crapped by the mind of man.
Anyway, carry on...
The problem with capitalism is that, so far as can be seen from the historical record, it needs to expand indefinitely in order to work. It cannot achieve a dynamic equilibrium within reasonable external bounds, but rather devolves into crisis. Maybe it will learn to do so when the realities of a finite planet really set in (as they are doing now), but it remains to be seen.
In any case capitalist economies require constant correction and controls to mitigate its human toll, of that there is no doubt. Taking a larger view, I very much doubt any civilization can long survive if its productivity is predicated on a monetary profit motive. Even now, we are on the cusp. It does not look to me like the capitalist world economy is equal to the challenge of averting an absolutely unprecedented climate catastrophe.
Nationalism also sucks.
@kevcvs57 saidSaudi Arabia is a capitalist nation run by a kingdom. That nation undercuts the whole argument that capitalism is good. Viv didn't even realize SA is capitalist and unwittingly sabotaged her own argument.
No it’s a hereditary authoritarian kleptocracy that owes its foundation to British and American oil interests
@soothfast saidhttps://www.redhotpawn.com/forum/debates/fact-checking-the-fact-checkers.197822/page-1
The problem with capitalism is that, so far as can be seen from the historical record, it needs to expand indefinitely in order to work. It cannot achieve a dynamic equilibrium within reasonable external bounds, but rather devolves into crisis. Maybe it will learn to do so when the realities of a finite planet really set in (as they are doing now), but it remains to be se ...[text shortened]... challenge of averting an absolutely unprecedented climate catastrophe.
Nationalism also sucks.
@metal-brain saidExplain how Saudi is a capitalist country? it restricted the sale of cars to over half the population on religious grounds for decades.
Saudi Arabia is a capitalist nation run by a kingdom. That nation undercuts the whole argument that capitalism is good. Viv didn't even realize SA is capitalist and unwittingly sabotaged her own argument.
It does not allow unfettered capitalist access to its oil, the regime constantly controls its flow for geo political purposes. SA is the political project of the Saudi regime / family that acts as the sole dispenser of patronage and business opportunities, it is not a capitalist country in any real sense.
@soothfast saidVery good point.
The problem with capitalism is that, so far as can be seen from the historical record, it needs to expand indefinitely in order to work. It cannot achieve a dynamic equilibrium within reasonable external bounds, but rather devolves into crisis. Maybe it will learn to do so when the realities of a finite planet really set in
@kevcvs57 saidWorkers in Saudi Arabia have few legal rights, and they are not permitted to organize and do not have the right to strike. Capitalism is not required to have women's rights. Rights for women have always lagged behind men in capitalist countries and generally everywhere in the world.
Explain how Saudi is a capitalist country? it restricted the sale of cars to over half the population on religious grounds for decades.
It does not allow unfettered capitalist access to its oil, the regime constantly controls its flow for geo political purposes. SA is the political project of the Saudi regime / family that acts as the sole dispenser of patronage and business opportunities, it is not a capitalist country in any real sense.
Saudi Arabia is a capitalist country. Now explain why some capitalist countries are not good. Is it because of the rulers? The corruption? Not all capitalist countries are good. In fact, the income inequality itself leads to massive corruption. Take JD Rockefeller for example. He got so much wealthier than everyone else he was able to corrupt nearly the whole political system and his errs have continued to do so even today.
The Rockefellers hate leftists and suppressed it everywhere in the world they can. It is a threat to their empire. Free markets are how they control nations. All they have to do is buy it up until they control it.
@metal-brain saidNo it’s not a capitalist country by any real measure, I think you’re confusing capitalism with the having an economy and using money as a means of trade.
Workers in Saudi Arabia have few legal rights, and they are not permitted to organize and do not have the right to strike. Capitalism is not required to have women's rights. Rights for women have always lagged behind men in capitalist countries and generally everywhere in the world.
Saudi Arabia is a capitalist country. Now explain why some capitalist countries are not ...[text shortened]... . Free markets are how they control nations. All they have to do is buy it up until they control it.
The sole purpose of the Saudi economy is to sustain the Saudi regime, the sole purpose of a truly capitalist economy is to free up the flow of capital in order for that capital to make more capital / money.
@kevcvs57 saidYou keep making that false assertion without explaining anything. All economies use money for trade. DUH!
No it’s not a capitalist country by any real measure, I think you’re confusing capitalism with the having an economy and using money as a means of trade.
The sole purpose of the Saudi economy is to sustain the Saudi regime, the sole purpose of a truly capitalist economy is to free up the flow of capital in order for that capital to make more capital / money.
No economy has only one purpose. You are just making up stupid crap that does not make any sense at all. I proved you wrong. You don't have to admit it because everyone knows.
@metal-brain saidIt won’t make sense to you because you are retarded. That’s hardly my fault.
You keep making that false assertion without explaining anything. All economies use money for trade. DUH!
No economy has only one purpose. You are just making up stupid crap that does not make any sense at all. I proved you wrong. You don't have to admit it because everyone knows.
“ All economies use money for trade. DUH!”
Yes dummy that’s my point but it doesn’t make it a true capitalist economy, SA is Kleptoecinomy like Russia, capitalism is allowed only in so far as it is functional for the regime, both regimes have complete control of its major source of capital. They are more aligned with the Chinese model of state capitalism than with truly capitalist states like the US etc