To reduce confusion, the definition of capitalism this thread is going on is: "An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit." Feel free to elaborate on your choice of vote.
I voted capitalism will never be replaced. But it wont be how most of us view a true capitalist system, we drift further and further from it. What we'll have is full on fascism the way we're going. The Marxists know their utopia is a failed model, China and the USSR have proven that and are more fascist today than communist. We already have corporate fascism with an ever growing authoritarian govt that answers to business, neither will allow revolution to defeat them (dont notice the law changes to so called protect us?). They will do what ever it takes to isolate you, the promotion of oppressed minority groups based on race, sex, political views, mass third world immigration are keys to reducing and demonizing the majority, divide and conquer. If the people dont see each other as one, they'll never rise as one. Text book wise there more differences, but communism is basically socialism on a global scale, while fascism is on a national scale. The corps had their boundaries removed with free trade and we see the populations indoctrinated with multi cultism, promotion of open borders and demonizing anyone who opposes it. The cold war never ended, and we're losing.
I'm with you, Jackster. The free enterprise system will continue down the path towards "Corporatism".....or a "centrally planned" economy....or, to remove all pretense, "economic fascism"....where the delineation between central government and the private sector is so blurred, it will be unrecognizable. The federal government's deep involvement in the mortgage lending industry, student loans, General Motors, and attempts to manipulate "green" into premature existence are just a small taste of things to come. Reasons: It's far easier for the totalitarian, collectivist left to control, tax and extract "fairness", "social justice" and "living wages" from a few, massive [labor union shop] conglomerates / employers than it is from 25 million Mom and Pops...... Methods of delivery: Continued overburdening of largely uncontrollable small businesses with taxes, regulations and mandates severely harms their profitability... softening them up for sell offs, and absorption into another facet of a conglomerate's stable. IMO.
Oh...and Obamacare. How could I forget central government deeply insinuating itself into...commingling with.... private health care provider / health insurance carrier industries.... Progressives look back upon FDR's nationalistic, fascist regime as an economic model to emulate.... and normalize.
The capitalists will murder everyone who opposes their greed until we disarm them, and tell lies till we stop them, and brainwash Americans till they grow up. The trouble is, their system will destroy the human world within two centuries, at the outside, so we haven't much time.
Feel free to revise your silly definition of capitalism so as not to offend anyone who might have taken you seriously. Why don't you just come right out and tell us all that you would prefer a RED Communist style economy/society?
Capitalism will be replaced gradually through reform, I suspect, unless governments make an effort to institutionalize capitalism to such an entrenched extent that there are no peaceful, parliamentary means of overturning it in favor of another economic order someday - in which case I reckon revolutions may (but will not necessarily be destined to) eventually occur. It is possible that capitalism will never be replaced, as well. I do not think that outcome is likely. This is not because I believe capitalism must destroy itself. Rather, for millennia people have from time to time discovered new, seemingly better ways of running society. History is far from being over. For whatever it's worth, Jackster and Webrockk have my support in opposition to corporatism, economic fascism, etc.
The definition suggests that "the country" owns the trade and industry and that private citizens simply have control of it. From where does "the country" obtain trade and industry?
I believe capitalism will be replaced once we begin to reach apexes in technologies and the concept of competition and different levels of quality are diminished. When we reach the limits of technology the only real differences in products would be cosmetic. Depending exactly how far we allow automation to replace workers and such the idea of classes and divisions could be greatly diminished. I'm guessing it will be a while or never.
