Does Capitalism Breed Greed?

1. 60

   louaposted 12 years ago

   Does Capitalism Breed Greed?
   
   Selfishness is in the eye of the beholder that greed festers and blurs the vision of one's wisdom... With clear sight one may see their sacred gift of intuitiveness. The wisdom to formulate the end for the contest of wits, so that the balance of energy, nature and spirit might fulfill our life experience...
   
   

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2. 67

   Adamowenposted 12 years ago

   I think any system that involves the incentive of increasing ones wealth will ultimately lead to greed. Capitalism in the right hands allows investors and inventors to bring us products that improve our quality of life. If Capitalism was free to do its job then these people will invest more time and money into providing better quality products at a cheaper price due to less tax regulations and taking money that can be used to invest away for taxes.
   
   Of course correct government regulations would need to be in place to protect this, smaller government with less but more meaningful regulations = a better sustainable market.

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3. 69

   junkoposted 12 years ago

   In my humble opinion, Capitalism does breed greed like no other social Ism.

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4. 57

   feenixposted 12 years ago

   The answer to this question is a resounding NO!
   
   That is certainly the answer because captalism does not breed greed -- the human condition breeds greed.
   
   In other words, greed stems from all of the character defects that human beings have, not from a particular economic system.
   
   That is true because  the "sin of greed" is just as prevalent in such communist societies as Cuba and North Korea as it is in the capitalist societies of the world.
   
   In communist Cuba, for instance, there are a considerable number of people in that country who are amassing what could be described as obsene levels of wealth in the underground economy that exists there.
   
   Also, the very same thing that is presently taking place in communist Cuba took place in the old communist Soviet Union.
   
   All the way from the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 to when Ronald Reagan urged Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down that wall," large numbers of Soviet-communist comrades participated in huge underground economies in which many of them demonstrated their greed by making far more money than they would ever be able to spend.
   
   Thus, capitalism is not the monster. The imperfection of human beings is the monster.

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5. 61

   nightwork4posted 12 years ago

   it's the god of greed without a doubt. other things also cause greed but nothing has or ever will compare with capitalism.

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6. 60

   Lions Den Mediaposted 12 years ago

   Einstein is saying here that the "rational mind...is a servant" which means that people that are attempting to rationalize capitalism based on a metric of "greed" are forgetting the gift that capitalism breeds, which is -- FREEDOM. Freedom in all of its glorious forms....the freedom to choose, the freedom to live without limits, the freedom to speak, the freedom to create, the freedom to love, the freedom to travel, the freedom to give, the freedom to provide, the freedom to think, and so many other things which some consider to be GREEDY.
   
   Capitalism is a gift that should be embraced, because the rational alternative to that of Freedom is Servitude.

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7. 73

   d.williamposted 12 years ago

   ANY system that has the inherent ability to be exploited will always breed greed.  When left to their own devices mankind will always pick the road to corruption.  Capitalism is not a bad thing in itself, but limitations, constraints, and regulations are necessary to prevent those with the need for greed from exploiting others.

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8. 60

   veritorogueposted 12 years ago

   Greed is universal regardless of the economic system that is in place. In communist countries greed is directed at the acquisition of power and earning money in black markets. We must distinguish greed from determination and ambition. There is nothing wrong with pursuing wealth by productive means that reverberate through the economy to create jobs and opportunities for others. Greed is the pursuit of wealth through nefarious means i.e. Solyndra, GM, Madoff, Rizzo, etc. Capitalism is simply economic freedom. Anything else is economic tyranny and the antithesis of Liberty.

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9. 72

   donnaisabellaposted 12 years ago

   Capitalism liberates our minds so that we can use and become all that we possibly can be. The creative mind, I believe, needs motivation to in order to reach its full potential. Rewards are the inevitable results of that creativity whether or not we like it. In a capitalist country where the rewards of creativity and hard work are so evident, the greedy begin to look for ways to innovate too. And the goodness with innovation is that, we all have the potential for it. Those who wish exploit it and reap the benefits for benefits sake and make it a way of life thus becoming greedy. On the other hand, the creative person is driven by a desire to help, make a difference and birth new things. The mere process of creating gives them more joy than the money that could easily come with it. People who are naturally creative are not driven by greed, it is those who make creativity a business who are the greedy ones. So, capitalism cannot in itself breed greed, people do.

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