The communal system failed because it treated the older and wiser the same way as the young and brash. It failed because it rewarded the less productive as much as the more productive. It failed because members of the community found that they could do less and still get the same benefit. All of these problems arose in a very religious community in which gluttony and laziness were considered sins and drunkenness was rare. How much more would communism fail in a larger society where such problems are rampant! By returning to a system in which the older and wiser are respected, and by reorganizing so that one’s benefit was directly tied to his production, the Pilgrims ensured the survival of their colony. Governor Bradford, however, ultimately attributes the failure of the “common cause” to something much deeper:
Upon the point all being to have alike and to do alike, they thought themselves in the like condition, and one as good as another; and so, if it did not cut off those relations that God hath set amongst men, yet it did at least much diminish and take off the mutual respects that should be preserved amongst them. And would have been worse if they had been men of another condition. Let none object this is men’s corruption, and nothing to the course itself. I answer, seeing all men have this corruption in them, God in His wisdom saw another course fitter for them.
Governor Bradford is basically saying that communism failed because of the corrupt nature of humans. People are imperfect and sinful. The utopia Marx and Lenin dreamed of could only work if it were filled with perfect people- and no such infallible people can be found in this world. Furthermore, the communal system undermines the relations God instituted among men- marriage and family. With husbands growing food for other people’s children, wives washing other men’s clothes, and children doing chores for other families, the basic foundational social unit of society is undermined. Without that, no society can hope to survive.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1285981/posts

So many are confused about capitalism, having never actually seen it. I understand. All anyone here has seen is a shadow of it. Crony capitalism, though the very strong and enterprising have been able to achieve beyond the norm. Well, they, and the crony capitalists, the well connected.
Lost Artist, did you not read one of the many times I described how my grandfather went from having leased a thirteen stool snack bar to buying a country store with gas pumps and a feed store and bait and tackle? Try that today. He added on to his house, had gutters installed, and in the sixties, that was a big deal, he upgraded the vehicles, and Saved Money while doing it.
Thanks to the government, You Can't.

You and the majority of the people here are unable to understand what the Fed is and how it has affected OUR lives.
The same power that runs IT runs the other fractional reserve, debt based, currency systems.

Go LOOK at the countries on General Wesley Clark s list.
Note that the recent countries that needed
Democracy spread
were on the list.


How exactly does that get explained?

I have no idea what kinda artist you might be, but Lost doesn't Have to be a part of your self image. Understanding what is happening isn't that hard, BUT, it can't be done through agenda driven eyes. We MUST,First, lay down all we think we know, and Look for the TRUTH.  Think about what the authors of the Constitution had been through. Why was there a Declaration of Independence? What HAPPENED?
Don't rely on what you were Taught. THINK.
Don't BE what someone suggested.
Think.

Milton Friedman on Capitalism vs:  Socialism

2.5 min clip


45 min clip


Best regards,

Lost, Jog is correct, for the most part. Note: I've pointed this out to Jog before, holding on to some outlandish conspiracy theories that are easily proven false means it's far to easy to dismiss some of his, dare I say, more brilliant post.

Greed, in context, is good. All of us benefit from greed and our greed delivers benefits to others.

Small and emerging business still succeeds today as it did 100 years ago. The battle field is different and the weapons confronted have changed, but the basic concept of war remains. It's not easy, you have to either be extremely lucky, extremely talented, work extremely hard or some combination of the three in order to compete.

Example: Anheuser Busch (InBev) bought up yet another small craft beer brewer in Colorado last week and the usual stuff was written how the little guys don't stand a chance. I assume you would be one saying that also. But I see that the original owners made millions. Just exactly how did they "lose" in this deal? AB/InBev is greedy, they want this small brewers customers. If AB doesn't continue to provide product to meet demand, some other small brewer out there working his a$$ off will see his sales grow. The Invisible Hand remains busy.

What you're talking about is intervention that prevents winners from succeeding and props losers up. That's ObamaCare. Goverment is inserting itself in a marketplace and using it's legislative power to remove greed from the equation. We will all suffer as a result, our friend and ObamaCare lover Sew will too, if he lives long enough. He very well may face a Sarah Palin death panel if he's deemed too old and not worthy of investing money in.

Anyway, Greed is good. You and I benefit from it every single day.

My verse of the day:

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
—James 3:16

Using context as reasoning, then brings it under this passage in Corinthians: All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify.

Or another way to say it: We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good.  

You saw what Jesus did with enterprising folk, when he turned over their tables. Wasn't often you saw such action from him. Must be a reason, eh?

I think I understand what LostA was alluring to.
He was stating in order for capitalism to be successful, mandating participation (advertising, etc) is needed, or it will fail because it can not generate income. Yes, it is volunteer participation (on our part), as opposed to forced through a governments decree, however, their are exceptions, like public utilities, trade licensing, transportation, etc, where it seeps into the private sector.

To use a "hermit" excuse to opt out is stretching reality to almost fantasy.

The problem with Obamacare is that it is FORCING those who had coverage, and were told they could keep it without impact from his desires.....
To cover those who don't have it, OR......
As many have/had, choose to not buy it, at this stage of their lives.

It should have focused solely on the problem of getting coverage to those who want it, but can't afford it, AFTER they have given up spending their money on vices and folly, first.

If I am to "donate " to a cause, I want some say over what my money does then, and I don't want it to go to able bodies who in all reality just need to man up, and become productive citizen of our society for the COMMON GOOD of all of us!

Generations of/on government  programs is NOT good use of our SHARED resources, no!

It causes RESENTMENTS which will only tear a society apart.

Here..... I posted this cartoon on another thread.

This really exemplifies how capitalism benefits from government mandates/laws, its akin to peanut butter and jelly  



Do you see the look on the couples face?

Do you understand why?

PG, I like and agree with the first Milton Friedman clip you put up, I haven't seen the second one yet.

Thanks, he was absolutely brilliant.  The second clip is fantastic as well. I particularly like what he has to say between 14:45 - 17:15.  If you are not interested in listening to the whole thing, at least listen to that portion.

Best regards,

WebsterMark wrote on 12/29/15 at 10:11:58:


Uh Web, less you forget about global warming?

Air is TAXED with carbon offsets  

WebsterMark wrote on 12/29/15 at 10:40:50:



Well just to make sure the record is correct and can NOT be spun.....

Bill did NOT inhale