Capitalism

In Defense of Capitalism

FrontPage Magazine | by Vasko Kohlmayer | Sep. 18, 2009

“Capitalism is an evil, and you cannot regulate evil… you have to eliminate it and replace it with something that is good for all people,” concludes Michael Moore in his latest documentary Capitalism: A Love Story.

Moore’s fulmination is neither surprising nor atypical in this era when capitalism finds itself under all-out assault. Having become something of a derogatory term, capitalism gets faulted for almost every societal problem and ill. Blamed for exploitation, poverty, fraud, alienation, crime, racism and nearly everything else, capitalism is increasingly cast as the great villain of our time. [Read more…]

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Lessons Unlearned

Investor’s Business Daily | Sep. 14, 2009

A year after Lehman Bros. went bankrupt, Washington plans sweeping new reforms of the financial markets. Based on what’s been revealed so far, our leaders have learned nothing from that crisis.

Today, once again, we’re hearing that unbridled greed and reckless pursuit of profit lie behind all our ills, that Wall Street is “choosing to ignore” the lessons from the meltdown and that new rules are needed to bring the miscreants to heel. But this is exactly backward. [Read more…]

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American Socialism & Chinese Capitalism

American Thinker | Raymond Richman & Howard Richman | Sep. 7, 2009

Why is GM, a capitalist firm, so successful in Communist China and a failure in Capitalist USA? Apparently, the Chinese learned from the economic failures of socialism while the US Congress learned nothing and actively intervenes in the decision-making of American capitalist firms, imposing environmental restrictions few of which would pass the economic test that benefits should be equal to or greater than cost. It subsidizes energy-saving activities like insulating buildings, buying energy-saving autos and even light bulbs, none of which would survive the light of day as producers of net benefits. It orders banks to make bad loans, e.g., the Community Reinvestment Act. Through the EPA, it regulates factory emissions. It proposes a socialist solution to health care. It has declared its policy to replace fossil fuels with renewable alternative fuels. It pays a large portion of the costs of wind turbines and solar panels. The list goes on an on. [Read more…]

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Caritas in Veritate: Why Truth Matters

Acton Institute | Samuel Gregg | July 8, 2009

Relativists beware. Whether you like it or not, truth matters – even in the economy. That’s the core message of Pope Benedict XVI’s new social encyclical Caritas in Veritate.

For 2000 years, the Catholic Church has hammered home a trio of presently-unpopular ideas into the humus of human civilization: that there is truth; that it is not simply of the scientific variety; that it is knowable through faith and reason; and that it is not whatever you want or “feel” it to be. Throughout his entire life, Benedict XVI has underscored these themes, precisely because much of the world, including many Christians, has lost sight of their importance. [Read more…]

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No Laughing Matter – America’s Path to Marxism

FrontPageMag | Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson | July 2, 2009

Who won the Cold War? That’s a no-brainer. The United States prevailed while the Soviet Union collapsed, and the People’s Republic of China dumped Marxism; capitalism (free markets and private property) triumphed over socialism (centrally planned markets and state-owned property); an ethos of individual rights proved to be more resilient and healthy than collectivist ideology; relatively small, democratic government clearly was demonstrated to help a society prosper far more effectively than elitist Big Government.

How ironic, then, that voices in Russia and China are mocking our current Big Government policies. Those whose countries took the tragic, impoverishing detour through Big Government hell now react with scorn and derision as we Americans charge headlong down that same path. What an amazing spectacle it must be for them to see the victor of the Cold War borrow many pages from the losers’ playbook. [Read more…]

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Orthodox Christianity and Capitalism Revisited


AFR – The Illumined Heart | Kevin Allen | Jun 26, 2009

The previous podcast on this subject with Chris Banescu stimulated comments about whether we covered the bases on this issue fully or dispassionately enough. In this conversation, Fr John Whiteford, (ROCOR) priest and frequent conservative commentator and blogger, and Dr. Amir Azarvan, (ROCOR) layman, political science lecturer, and self-described “social democrat,” talk about poverty, the welfare state, whether alms-giving is spiritually effective if government mandated, and the best way to live out the Orthodox Christian life in the world.

Orthodox Christianity and Capitalism Revisited – 6/26/09 http://audio.ancientfaith.com/illuminedheart/ih_2009-06-26_pc.mp3|titles=Orthodox

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From Crisis to Creative Entrepreneurial Liberation

Acton Institute | Anthony B. Bradley Ph.D. | May 6, 2009

Necessity is the mother of invention, said Plato, and the truth of the proverb has been borne out once again. Necessity is generating entrepreneurial energy amid America’s current economic crisis, according to a new study by the Kansas City-based Kaufman Foundation. The study reveals an increase in business startups during 2008, as the recession was taking hold. The rise is consistent with similar previous trends, such as the boomlet occurring after the tech bust of the 1990s. Throughout human history, a nation’s best resource in time of crisis has been the unleashed creative and entrepreneurial spirit of its citizens. [Read more…]

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When Faith met the Free Market

Life, Liberty Blog | Daniel | April 22, 2009

Is the Christian Faith compatible with a Free Market economy? Many lay people and most clergy would probably answer that question negatively, especially during these times. But is this really the case?

Kevin Allen, at Ancient Faith Radio, discussed these topics and much more with Chris Banescu. The answers Mr. Allen received are very enlightening. This is a must listen to anyone, not just Christians, who work for a living, which means it is a must listen for everyone. [Read more…]

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Bono Discovers Sustainable Development Isn’t Sustainable

Breitbart | Phelim McAleer & Ann McElhinney‏ | May 20, 2009

THE BIG problem with renewable energy is that it just doesn’t renew itself. The sun does not shine enough and the wind doesn’t blow enough to power the towns, cities, factories, hospitals and schools that make our lives so livable.

No environmentalist would ever allow their child to be treated in a hospital fully powered by “renewables”. They would not take the risk that the wind might stop whilst their baby was on the operating table. They would insist that the hospital and the life support systems had a fossil fuel powered back-up. [Read more…]

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Orthodox Christianity And Capitalism: Are They Compatible?


AFR – The Illumined Heart | Kevin Allen | Apr 17, 2009

Writer, attorney, and university professor Chris Banescu discusses the economic, moral and spiritual issues surrounding the “capitalist” economic model and whether it serves the best interests of Christians living the life of the Beatitudes, in this interview with Kevin Allen host of The Illumined Heart podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

Orthodox Christianity And Capitalism: Are They Compatible? – 4/17/09 http://audio.ancientfaith.com/illuminedheart/ih_2009-04-17_pc.mp3|titles=Orthodox

[Read more…]

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