On Capitalism

When it comes to capitalism, there are people who believe that “true capitalism” with no government interference is the cure for all our nation’s ills. They rely on the “invisible hand” of Adam Smith to turn self-interest into public benefit. They also defend this view by claiming any opposition to this view is a form of communism or socialism. Why Americans are still afraid of communism 30 years after the end of the Cold War makes no sense to me. Americans run away from communism and socialism like roaches when the lights come on. The Red Scare is in our country’s DNA.

Adam Smith believed in an “invisible hand”. He believed that people acting in their own self-interest will always produce the best results for the greater good; better than regulations and government interventions. That is nothing short of a license for greed. I am of the belief that all “isms” require some infusion of compassion or charity. Otherwise, human greed is too strong and leads to severe inequality. The only way I can see the infusion of compassion or charity is with what these true capitalists call government interference.

What is strange, is the same true capitalists who support unfettered capitalism are the strongest supporters of government regulation of sexuality and what people do with their bodies. They worry about abortions killing people but refuse to acknowledge the damage that unfettered capitalism does to our society. Poverty and inequality can be quite deadly. They don’t want to talk about what capitalism does to the environment. That seems pretty hypocritical. They believe in the invisible hand of capitalism far more than they believe in the almighty hand of their God.