I think we need some heavy modifications to capitalism. Things like a flat tax and a strong societal focus on community and the members of that community is what needs to change.
Neither the particulars of a tax system, nor the degree of social cohesion (or lack of it) in a community are features of capitalism. You can have capitalism with many different kinds of tax systems and with loose or tight societies.
By the way, what does a “strong societal focus on community” imply about asocial people who would tell the community to get lost..?
Truly, capitalism does not feature any of those things which is partly why, thanks to globalization, we don’t have them anymore. Of course you can have free markets with many kinds of tax systems and loose or tight societies but what we have found is that countries that protect their industries and protect the flow of capital coming and going have more stable economies and more stable employment than those that don’t. Think of the Asian Financial crisis. Malaysia controlled capital and their economy recovered faster. Others took the IMF route with more open markets and less restrictions and look longer. This is the culmination of a pattern in history that simply has to stop. A flat tax of 15% on all incomes with sales and property taxes as necessary is a far better system than the graduated system that we have in most developed countries now.
As far as a strong societal focus on community, those asocial people that would not choose to participate do not have to participate. They don’t have to be involved although they will benefit. However, that does not mean that we should not have the services available and the economic policies in place to create strong communities economically and culturally. Humans are tribal and we need to support our tribes. The current economic environment has broken that system apart and we are suffering in many ways besides our pocket books. If you want stronger wages then you need to stop in the inflow of cheap labor and the outflow of jobs. In order to do that you have to control trade policy. In the modern environment of globalization those things simply do not exist anymore. Capital can move freely all over the globe and be put to use wherever its managers wish with a complete disregard to the local conditions or how well the community in the area may respond to a project. I think we need to strongly adopt the principle of thinking globally and acting locally. It has fallen out of use and it needs to be brought back. If we think of that economically big changes that would benefit everyone would soon occur.
why, thanks to globalization, we don’t have them anymore.
We don’t have what any more? Tax systems..?
we have found is that countries that protect their industries and protect the flow of capital coming and going have more stable economies and more stable employment than those that don’t.
We have found no such thing. That’s, ahem, bullshit.
A flat tax of 15% on all incomes with sales and property taxes as necessary is a far better system
You do realize it’s going to be HUGELY less progressive than all current Western systems, right?
If you want stronger wages then you need to stop in the inflow of cheap labor and the outflow of jobs.
Neither the particulars of a tax system, nor the degree of social cohesion (or lack of it) in a community are features of capitalism. You can have capitalism with many different kinds of tax systems and with loose or tight societies.
By the way, what does a “strong societal focus on community” imply about asocial people who would tell the community to get lost..?
Truly, capitalism does not feature any of those things which is partly why, thanks to globalization, we don’t have them anymore. Of course you can have free markets with many kinds of tax systems and loose or tight societies but what we have found is that countries that protect their industries and protect the flow of capital coming and going have more stable economies and more stable employment than those that don’t. Think of the Asian Financial crisis. Malaysia controlled capital and their economy recovered faster. Others took the IMF route with more open markets and less restrictions and look longer. This is the culmination of a pattern in history that simply has to stop. A flat tax of 15% on all incomes with sales and property taxes as necessary is a far better system than the graduated system that we have in most developed countries now.
As far as a strong societal focus on community, those asocial people that would not choose to participate do not have to participate. They don’t have to be involved although they will benefit. However, that does not mean that we should not have the services available and the economic policies in place to create strong communities economically and culturally. Humans are tribal and we need to support our tribes. The current economic environment has broken that system apart and we are suffering in many ways besides our pocket books. If you want stronger wages then you need to stop in the inflow of cheap labor and the outflow of jobs. In order to do that you have to control trade policy. In the modern environment of globalization those things simply do not exist anymore. Capital can move freely all over the globe and be put to use wherever its managers wish with a complete disregard to the local conditions or how well the community in the area may respond to a project. I think we need to strongly adopt the principle of thinking globally and acting locally. It has fallen out of use and it needs to be brought back. If we think of that economically big changes that would benefit everyone would soon occur.
We don’t have what any more? Tax systems..?
We have found no such thing. That’s, ahem, bullshit.
You do realize it’s going to be HUGELY less progressive than all current Western systems, right?
/facepalm