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bhikkhu

(10,782 posts)
11. Capitalism is most often defined...
Tue May 10, 2016, 10:05 PM
May 2016

"Capitalism is most often defined as an economic system where individuals own economic resources and make decisions relating to their own self interest." Personal possessions are one aspect, possession of one's living area is another. I don't think its too much of a stretch to say that territoriality is a part of human nature, as it is a common trait in any social animal, and I don't think its a stretch to say that the neural correlate of "personal possession" is the same as territoriality. Absolute individuality isn't a requirement of any definition; the range goes from an individual, to a family, to a community, to a state, a nation, a race, etc. Some people might exhibit territoriality on every level.

So capitalism relies on individual ownership and decision making, and inherently leads to competition and wealth concentration. On the other side there is government, which should be socialist, as government is basically a socialist enterprise; public ownership of properties and agencies for the common good and common use, general taxation to support the common good and so forth.

Not that I'm an expert - I'm happy to learn a thing or two if I'm off base here.

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