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Unethical crony capitalism can destroy capitalism through the accumulation of wealth and centralization of power. What's the difference between 5 robber barons

Unethical crony capitalism can destroy capitalism through the accumulation of wealth and centralization of power. What's the difference between 5 robber barons running the show and 5 members of the party vanguard? I'd suggest if you are a serious fan of capitalism, you take the arguments seriously.

jerf 9y ago
Historically speaking, the US has survived robber barons, but Venezuela qua Venezuela has not survived its party vanguard. Likewise, I have a hard time taking anyone seriously advocating for socialism who is unwilling to grapple with the fact that, yes, Venezuela is a valid data point, as are the hundreds millions of deaths socialism is directly responsible for, and spending at least a few moments contemplating whether or not they'd be one of them if they did manage to get socialism going in their local polity. If you care enough about people to want to gift them with socialism, you ought to care enough about people to spend some time considering the possible dangers it carries with it. The party faithful do well in socialism. The almost-just-barely-not-quite-faithful, the ever-so-slightly-not-quite-in-step, the ones who agree with their leadership in principle but differ ever so slightly on matters of how to implement or who should implement... their death rate is pretty rough. Guaranteeing you're in the first group is harder than it may first appear.
- mbunch 9y ago
  Did robber barons have as much political power as corporations do today? This is an honest question. I'm not an expert, but my speculation is that the level of control that lobbying gives those "winning" capitalism today over the laws that are supposed to be keeping them in check is a new thing and will take us into uncharted territory.
- grasshopperpurp 9y ago
  >Historically speaking, the US has survived robber barons Because of socialist policies.

jerf 9y ago

Historically speaking, the US has survived robber barons, but Venezuela qua Venezuela has not survived its party vanguard. Likewise, I have a hard time taking anyone seriously advocating for socialism who is unwilling to grapple with the fact that, yes, Venezuela is a valid data point, as are the hundreds millions of deaths socialism is directly responsible for, and spending at least a few moments contemplating whether or not they'd be one of them if they did manage to get socialism going in their local polity. If you care enough about people to want to gift them with socialism, you ought to care enough about people to spend some time considering the possible dangers it carries with it. The party faithful do well in socialism. The almost-just-barely-not-quite-faithful, the ever-so-slightly-not-quite-in-step, the ones who agree with their leadership in principle but differ ever so slightly on matters of how to implement or who should implement... their death rate is pretty rough. Guaranteeing you're in the first group is harder than it may first appear.

mbunch 9y ago
Did robber barons have as much political power as corporations do today? This is an honest question. I'm not an expert, but my speculation is that the level of control that lobbying gives those "winning" capitalism today over the laws that are supposed to be keeping them in check is a new thing and will take us into uncharted territory.
grasshopperpurp 9y ago
>Historically speaking, the US has survived robber barons Because of socialist policies.