The Inhumanity of Socialism and The Morality of Capitalism

All the socialists have is theory. Socialist theory promises utopia. It states that humanity’s problems can be solved perfectly, with no need for strife or want. Socialist theory contends “from each according to ability; to each according to need.” If that isn’t utopian, I do not know what is. Socialist theory predicts a perfect world, one without need, one without scarcity, one without concern, one without any problems at all. But, as we have seen with every iteration, the practical application of such philosophy mandates a massive bureaucracy to administer. Socialism requires top-down and stringent authority to implement. It requires literally everyone involved to be on board. Even at that, socialism fails to even remotely achieve its stated goals.

Capitalists have practical application. Capitalism promises very little. Capitalism basically promises you the fruits of your labor, although within the context of the law of supply and demand. Capitalist theory doesn’t make any of the guarantees that socialist theory does. Capitalism doesn’t say there will be no want, no strife, not scarcity, no concern. Capitalism simply allows individuals to act in their own perceived best interests, and lets the cards fall where they may. Capitalism does not require an all-encompassing bureaucracy to operate. While it works best with a social order dedicated to some basic ground rules: capitalism works through the process of spontaneous order, with no one person, or even one group of people, truly understanding and knowing how everything gets accomplished.

Socialists decry capitalism based on the socialist ideal of how our world SHOULD be. Socialists say that since there is still concern, since there is still strife, since there is still want, since there is still poverty, capitalism is a failure. Socialists point to the problems that still exist within a capitalist system and say “SEE, THERE ARE STILL HAVE-NOTS — CAPITALISM HAS FAILED!!!” But capitalism has only failed in comparison to an unattainable goal such as utopian socialism. From an historical perspective, capitalism is a raving success. Capitalism has produced the most peace, the most prosperity, and the most equality that mankind has ever experienced.

Sadly, not only does socialism not fulfill virtually any of its promises, it actually tends to create the most deplorable conditions that humanity has ever had to deal with. Hunger, violence, and strife are all common in socialist societies. Socialism is as failed of an experiment as humanity has ever undertaken, and it speaks very ill of basic human cognition that socialism still has proponents in the 21st century.

Every single prosperous society on the face of the Earth today is some form of capitalism — where the government defers primarily to private control of capital and production. Every. Single. One. While there is a disparate approach to common welfare and industrial regulation amongst these countries, all of them are capitalist, and all of them vastly outperform, on every single meaningful metric of human well-being, those countries that take a more hands-on approach to their economies. Capitalism is the greatest idea that mankind has ever had, and it has led, indisputably, to the most peace, the most prosperity, and the most well-being–across the board and for virtually every single individual involved, rich and poor–that humanity has ever experienced.

If you truly cared about the poor, if you truly cared about human suffering, if you truly cared about general prosperity, if you truly cared about basic human dignity, you would be a capitalist.