to marvel at the success of capitalism?

[longfingernails]

Capitalism has spurred innovations innumerate, lifted billions upon billions out of poverty, and made societies entrepreneurial and free - and it continues to do so to this day! Especially when combined with democracy, capitalism is surely the greatest force for social improvement the world has ever known. The most marvellous thing of all is it it goes with the natural instinct of humans to do the best for themselves and their loved ones.

Contrast socialism. It has left a legacy of bankruptcy, inefficient public sector bureaucracy, and welfare scroungers in this country (and countless others).

All hail Adam Smith and the invisible hand.

Maggie, is that you in there?

Pumpkinpositive Maggie was indeed one of the greatest enablers of capitalism and Britain prospered under her (and under the broadly capitalist framework she left behind). If only she were still alive, and still PM - instead of the weak Cameron!

Hahaha hahaha. That is all.

lol

there is no need to be quite so sneery, we all live in a capitalist society after all. I don't see many pure socialists or communists on mumsnet.

As a system it has its flaws. But I would much rather live in a capitalist society than not live in one. Even if I don't state my case as enthusiastically as longfingernails.

Do you revere UKIP like Longfingernails too, Humphrey?

Especially when combined with democracy, capitalism is surely the greatest force for social improvement the world has ever known. No ONLY is the word you are looking for ONLY.

Small scale socialism in SE Asia and Central America was certainly a failure when attacked viciously by the US' disgusting foreign policy.

oh Boris are you practising your next speech

Pumpkinpositive I don't revere UKIP. I think voting UKIP is a useful way to move the Tory party rightwards, and towards a working-class Tory agenda.

I marvel at the success of war. It has spurred on innovation in aviation and plastic surgery to name just two spheres.

Yay!

You honestly think we live in a capitalist society? A CAPITALIST society????? - I really don't know where to start with this - ok for a start- businesses make profits by paying low wages made up by benefits like tax credits, bank bailouts to the tune of billions, CAP- I need

waffley don't forget how war improved things for women (the vote, lack of men moving the power sideways etc.) War is great for women. Someone tell Angelina and William.

MrsTerryPratchett Nonsense. There have been plenty of socialists (and even communists) over extended periods of time.

For a current example, why not look at Venezuela (the country of the great bog roll shortage)? It happened after the socialist government imposed socialist price controls and socialist market restrictions. edition.cnn.com/2013/09/21/world/americas/venezuela-toilet-paper/

goodess, what a leap.

I don't actually revere UKIP at all.

Think hard, do you really not like living in a capitalist society? really?

Capitalism does work. Are you dissenters still fighting for communism? I bet you aren't.

You give me Venezuela, I give you the US. That bastion of capitalism. Almost a million people homeless. Hooray for everyone.

And, US involvement in Venezuela has been shitty too. That was my point.

Capitalism does work. Hahahahahahahaha. Where exactly?

We've never had proper socialism

No one has

Capitalism as we have it here has increased the gap between rich and poor so much it's actually damaging our mental health as a nation

We're ill because of it

MrsTerry - not to mention infant mortality rates in the Southern States on a par with developing countries - in some cases- worse

capitalism is not perfect, I still prefer it to the alternative

and I bet you lot do too.

or are you still selling the socialist worker? You can be a labour supporter and still want to live in a capitalist society you know.

You know the sort of capitalism we have here - privatisation of profit, socialisation of loss. So what sort of capitalism is that? Loving this thread -was feeling tired but wide awake now. Pensions and PPI misselling, sub prime mortgages - let's hear it for capitalism!!

I used to sell the be a member of the Socialist Worker Party those were the days.

Actually, I think capitalism, tendered with democracy and social liberalism, is the best of a very bad pack of systems. The OP is stupid though (post, not poster BTW before someone reports).