[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by MTVN

No doubt that socialism gave birth to some great ideas and great institutions. There's also no doubt that capitalism has enabled huge advances in living standards across the world in the last 150 years. Not many today would argue for either completely unrestrained free market capitalism or for wholly state controlled socialism. Praising the Scandinavian countries just reinforces that point really because social democracy =/= socialism. It has been a success story there but then a bigger focus on free market capitalism has been a success story for a country like Switzerland.

Also put two socialists in a room and the chances are they will disagree. A Marxist would have a very different idea of socialism to someone like Francois Hollande or even Jeremy Corbyn.

I'm all for a free market economy because it gives free choice to millions of individuals; But a tragic mutation of Capitalism has fallen into the hands of our government and not just the ones who are presently sitting in Downing Street.

Capitalism is a wonderful thing providing we don't stray too far off the path of Keynesian definition. Its an ideal that allows financial freedom in a progressive society, it encourages competition. What it also encourages is self greed and because the human race are fundamentally selfish, if capitalism isn't harnessed greed will eventually undermine it and take over.

Britain now sits firmly with 'neoliberal capitalism' and Keynes must be turning in his grave. The British government, whether Conservative, former Labour or Lib Dem are now big business and that's not the style of capitalism I want to be a part of.