As far as a recognized political system, there are really
just two choices: Capitalism or Statism.
Capitalism may have the necessary redundancy of laissez faire to mean no State control; Statism means State control
in some form and to some degree whether it be private ownership with State
dictates (Fascism), private ownership of property but State ownership of
production (Socialism), State owning/controlling everything
(Communism/Totalitarianism), and all nuances therein such as the newly bandied
about private ownership and private production but public risk (Cronyism). In principle, it is this simple: Capitalism
versus Statism.
Capitalism is not just a political system. What makes Capitalism what it is, is that it’s
a philosophical system first, and politics follow. The laissez
faire aspect of Capitalism means that people may choose to act (have the
liberty) how they wish as long as it doesn’t violate anyone else’ rights. This leaves people free to accept the risk
and reward for their choices. For good
or bad, but with no rights violations individuals may act. Others may join in the risk and reward, but
they do so by the acts of their own liberty.
Capitalism is the liberty to act, and the responsibility for those
actions.
To remove the liberty aspect, to mandate any action changes the whole and it is
no longer Capitalism that is being discussed, but some form of Statism. It is mutually exclusive as the principle is
either we have liberty to direct our lives or we do not, regardless of degree.
It is not Capitalism to have State welfare, individual or
corporate. It is not Capitalism to have mandated
anything, regardless of how good it
may be for us as individuals or society.
The banks need to be protected as ‘they’re too big to fail’ is not
Capitalism as when the State comes in and buys into the bank to save it, the
system has blended Socialism with Cronyism.
The same is true for when it is mandated that by existing we have to
purchase health insurance, have to put certain warning labels on certain
products, have ‘sin’ taxes applied to certain items, have to get permits and
licenses to begin or work in a business among various other ways the State
deems it can control our interactions.
The principle is clear: we are sovereign in our lives or we
are not. This does not give us license
to harm another as is a quickly bandied about retort to Capitalism; harming
another violates their rights, their sovereign nature. Working at a State-level, we individuals get
classified into convenient classes to be pitted against one another and with
that classism, and with the State’s approval of ‘helping’ us, it removes our
sovereignty and makes us tools to sate someone else’s wants. Where it is wrong to harm another on an
individual level, Statism says the harm is part of the ‘greater good’ and it
can take an individual’s resources and liberty.
If the principle is first not for the individual but that the individual
may be dictated against for another, then society is a mass of those who may be
commanded to serve another by threat of law: how is that for a greater good?
It is not for the greater good. If the base is not solidly built on
individual rights, then the structure of any State is built on sand and it will
just be a matter of time before it crumbles.
