: But ensuring that all of these billions have an equal voice in a democratic society is something you are against? That is all we are trying to accomplish, democracy, with one vote per person, not per dollar.
No, I am not against 1 person 1 vote throughout the world. What I am against is the falsehood that there is a true utopia. No matter what we eventually accomplish there will still be those out there that think they know more than anyone else does (dictator types). These types will be dissatisfied with any system that does not make them the supreme ruler. Even if there is only one amongst billions that is not satisfied then that means that not everyone is satisfied!The "not per dollar" thing. Please don't confuse political influence with votes. With rare exception 1 vote 1 person is the rule in this country. And it is reasonable to assume that for the most part there is a relationship of dollars to political influence. The founding fathers in the U.S. did not create a true democracy. They created a democratic republic. Part of their concerns were the fact that it would be impossible to have every citizen vote on every issue (a true democracy). Parts of their concerns were also excessive influence on the elected officials. This is one of the reasons our elected officials only serve short terms. If things get too far out of hand the 1 person 1 vote should bring them down.
: How are the Nike factory workers getting rewarded?
In case you hadn't read my previous words, I will repeat them again-
:: Not being a fool though, I believe that there are a few people who will not do the right thing and will actually do harm to others both physically and economically trough the use of force or fraud.
And I will add - Abuses will occur in any system as long as humans are involved. Abuse of the system by a few is not indicative of the system itself, as long as the system has a method to correct those abuses effectively. In the capitalistic system, boycotting is one effective method to force the abuser to correct its ways.
:Farmers, by the way, are incresingly forced out of their land by agribusiness and strip malls.
About the best way I can answer this is through my own experience. My grandfather farmed and raised dairy cattle on about 9000 acres in his day. He had 7 sons and 3 daughters. When he "retired" he divided the land 10 ways and gave it to his kids. Each now had about 900 acres to make a living on. Some of them did not want to farm, so they sold their land to the others and when it was all said and done there were 5 new farmers each farming about 1800 acres each. The choice to farm or not to farm was made freely. Now that their sons and daughters are grown up and my fathers generation is retiring the 9000 acres has been divided again, each "farmer" now has about 450 acres.
Along with the reduced land available each generation, each generation used up some of the land for their houses, sheds, silos, pens, and barns. This further reduced the land available for agriculture. Practically, the increased number of farmers vastly outstrips the ability of the land to sustain a "business". This is unfortunate for those that lose their land, but one of the major factors is that there are more and more people but the same amount of land. (P.S. my father was one of those that decided not to farm. He said he didn't really like the work.) Those in my family that were good farmers and businessmen(women) are still farming. Those that weren't aren't! This is true of all businesses.
: Doctors these days are agents for pharmacutical conglomerates, pushing the drug-of-the-month. Remove the profit motive and a doctor is a healer.
I don't quite understand this statement. Could you supply me with some examples?
: Capitalism is not a system that rewards for doing, it is the system that rewards for NOT doing.
Except for the government paying farmers for not planting certain crops I can't think of any business based on doing nothing. Can you supply examples?
:It is a system of making money from the lending of money.
Yes, lending money to others is a part of capitalism. What's wrong with lending money to others?
:And it is REPLACING small businesses and enterprises who are doing something for the sake of doing it.
Isn't this the definition of a hobby or voluntary work? Business by definition produce or supply services for sale.
