Ka-chow!!!
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@Patch Modern challenges call into question whether these systems function as originally intended. In your opinion, which countries are currently best at maintaining a balance between capitalism and democracy?
I understand that's a tough one. No country gets it perfectly right. But I'd say some of the Nordic countries like Finland and Norway seem to manage a decent balance, at least for now. Strong social safety nets alongside market economies, and people still feel like their voices matter politically.
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@Patch I'm curious about what your take is, though. Have any unexpected examples come to your mind?
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@LukasInCloud said in Ka-chow!!!:
Modern challenges call into question whether these systems function as originally intended. In your opinion, which countries are currently best at maintaining a balance between capitalism and democracy?
The balance is not between capitalism and democracy.
In an ideal democracy every citizen has an equal voice in the running of a country. In contrast in a totally autocratic system citizens must be convinced they have zero voice in running the country.
In ideal capitalism, true competition ensures the consumer can rewards the supplier with the best valued product without an intimate knowing the manufacturing process, production cost and testing requirements. To maintain market penetration with true competition a supplier must continue to provide a better valued product. In contrast with monopoly supply, the supplier must only convince the customer they have no other alternative.
Maintenance of true competition requires recognizing the distinction between a competitive market and a market manipulated by monopoly/ duopoly is a continuum not binary process so requires a graded disincentive to prevent.The difference between a socialist monopoly and a capitalist monopoly is a capitalist monopoly will increase price / decrease value until the maximum the market will bear prior to the market itself being destroyed. In contrast socialist monopoly will try to deliver a good valued product but inefficiently prevents achieving the product value of an ideal capitalistic system. When true competition is impractical (Natural Monopoly) government ownership of the Natural Monopoly (eg pipes or cables in public land) with many business on relatively short contract competing for construction and maintenance is then optimal.
So it is not a balance between true capitalism and true democracy. True capitalism and democracy have a symbiotic relationship. There is no reason either can not survive into the future but both require citizens to take the time to think about the concepts behind and requirements for the market terms "Democracy" and "Capitalism"
In contrast both autocracy and monopoly require their citizens to feel they have no alternative.
As for which county does or doesn't have Democracy and functioning capitalism.
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Russia claims a veneer of democracy. Their autocracy requires buying a ruling class, resulting in most citizens having a low standard of living. The major threat to the autocracy is their citizens see a better alternative (people they relate to choosing a true democracy) hence Putin invading Ukraine.
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India's cast system results in a similar burden and the same result for most citizens in India
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USA oligarch and a failed capitalistic system has resulted in a poor standard of living for most citizens in USA. Time will tell if Trump can lock in the Russian system of governance and living standard for USA citizens, before most are aware of what they are loosing. USA citizens sense of entitlement is clouding their judgment similar to UK and Brexit. If Trump succeeds a prosperous democratic Europe with be a threat to Trump's protégé just as Ukraine prosperity threatened Putin.
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China have managed their capitalistic system which is why they have out performed India (and most other countries) for the last 30 years. Their risk is their leader is moving from a benevolent autocrat to a dictator focused on personal job security so will also need to buy a ruling class.
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Europe has a reasonable democracy and capitalistic system. Their weakness is democratic governance is required for entrance not ongoing voting rights.
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Australia, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, an UK all have OK democracies and capitalistic systems but all have put too much faith in USA maintaining democratic governance and a functional capitalistic system.
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@Patch Impressive! I appreciate your perspective! You've framed it much broader and more structurally than I initially thought. I like how you frame it as symbiosis, not balance. Makes me wonder though, do you think any country has come close to sustaining that dynamic well in practice, or is it always a temporary alignment before one side starts tilting the scale?
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@JonathanLee This car is like a dream come true for me. I just recently got my license)) Where was this exhibit held? What is the value of this beauty?
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@Gray My kids love cars, I think 90s percent of the firewall use is protecting Disney plus so cars can play over and over and over and over again
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@JonathanLee
"Cars" is a classic, you can watch it endlessly)) -
@Gray My little son is too young for The Cars. Our favorite right now is The Trash Truck
@JonathanLee I agree a million percent
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@LukasInCloud My older son when he was younger would stand in the window when the garbage truck would come to see it. He loved it.
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@JonathanLee Oh, yeah
All the garbage truck drivers in the neighborhood know my son. They always wave and greet him.
