Comment on The existence of billionaires is a policy failure
senorseco@lemmy.today 3 days ago
It’s not a policy failure at all. It’s a systemic feature. Capitalism is dog eat dog until only one dog remains. If you want to fix it you need a new economic system.
Thr government is supposed to enforce regulations in a capitalistic market like ours.
Amazon should have been torn a new asshole for some of the anti competitive things they’ve done for example, which would have maybe prevented or at least slowed what happened.
Google should have been broken up ages ago
And so on.
The rules and regulations are there, it’s just become so corrupt they aren’t being enforced.
If you want to fix it you need a new economic system.
We could try free markets.
“We could try actually free markets with no benefits to anyone. By benefits here I mean tax breaks, government contracts and subsidies for companies.”
I’m far from an expert but didn’t we more or less try that during the industrial revolution? As I recall from old history books, it wasn’t so great for the majority of citizens and the economy was an actual roller coaster ride.
I don’t think so. Protectionism was high, government-granted monopolies were typical. The British East India Company was the only company that was allowed trade with India and China from UK, for instance. The Dutch had something similary.
Perhaps later though in late 1800s it was more like you described.
Hereeee we areeeee…
kandoh@reddthat.com 3 days ago
I think capitalism can work depending on two things
The state must discipline and tax the capitalists constantly.
There is a competing system that capitalism has to outperform.
Frumple@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
No, what actually ends up happening is the capitalists constantly pressure and influence the state to not tax them and not discipline them. It’s hard for the state to say “no” to that kind of money.
FlyingCircus@lemmy.world 3 days ago
It’s especially hard for the state to say no because the state is run by the capitalists themselves. They are the same people.
senorseco@lemmy.today 3 days ago
That’s an interesting thought. Still trying to wrap my mind around how it might work.
kandoh@reddthat.com 2 days ago
Basically like the cold war.
NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Public services.
E.g A well funded and not abused USPS.