The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns the difference between capitalism and communism. The man who currently occupies the White House made a statement in Argentina that shows he knows little of this difference – or else does not care about it. He was asked a question about nonprofit community organizations and the funding of same. This is how he replied:
“So often in the past there has been a division between left and right, between capitalists and communists or socialists, and especially in the Americas, that’s been a big debate….
“Those are interesting intellectual arguments, but I think for your generation, you should be practical and just choose from what works. You don’t have to worry about whether it really fits into socialist theory or capitalist theory. You should just decide what works.”
I believe the man who currently occupies the White House was hedging his bets. He could not come right out and condemn communism because he was in Cuba. In fact, he actually praised the socialist system run by Castro family in Cuba, particularly the “free access to basic education and health care” while at the same time acknowledging that Havana “looks like it did in the 1950s” due to the economy “not working”.
The occupier of the White House could not praise capitalism because he does not believe in it. He has said over and over again that the United States is wrong. He even encouraged Castro in his criticism of the United States: “President Castro has also addressed what he views as shortcomings in the United States around basic needs for people in poverty and inequality and race relations and we welcome that constructive dialogue as well…. Because we believe that when we share our deepest beliefs and ideas with an attitude of mutual respect that we can both learn and make the lives of our people better.”
Here is a short lesson on the differences between capitalism and communism for the man who occupies the White House as well as anyone else who may be interested.
“Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Characteristics central to capitalism include private property, capital accumulation, wage labor, voluntary exchange, a price system, and competitive markets. In a capitalist market economy, decision-making and investment is determined by the owners of the factors of production in financial and capital markets, and prices and the distribution of goods are mainly determined by competition in the market.”
“In political and social sciences, communism (from Latin communis, “common, universal”) is a social, political, and economic ideology and movement whose ultimate goal is the establishment of the communist society, which is a socioeconomic order structured upon the common ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes, money, and the state.”
Under capitalism, private ownership – as well as competition – is encouraged. Under communism, common ownership is a must. Under capitalism, men and women are free to become anything they desire. Under communism, everyone is encouraged to work together for the good of the masses – except those who become rich and powerful off the work people.
That is the short and simple comparison: capitalism encourages freedom and growth while communism restricts freedom and growth. Which do you think is the better system?