The discussion of government brings up a point. It is funny how people on this board often bring up the Chinese commie arguement. Chinese communist party now is only communist in name. China in many respect is more capitalistic than the us (which is closer to a socialist society than China). Most of the people in China are left fending for themselves, big business can screw just about anyone over, who cares about child labor or environment. If you have the money, 99% of the time you got your way. It is no different than many of the countries supported by the US government like Saudi Arabia. Money(capital) is the biggest thing driving China today in every facet of society.
I have a great idea, make canda part of America and then let the Mexican immigrants migrate to Canada! There are only about 25 million Canadians
Hmm, that's true. But if everyone had the devotion of Mother Teresa, we'd be one generation from extinction.
America - high crime rate - crazy attitudes - W + clean water + clean air + health care + Tim Horton's = Canada
Communism may work if everybody (rulers, workers, etc.) was altruistic and selfless enough to have no personal ambitions. Since human beings do not fit the bill, neither does Communism. Mao allowed 5 percent of public arable lands to be "owned" by families - where they could grow and keep their own crops. Before long enough, this 5 percent of "private" land accounted for 27 percent of total agricultural production. China did experience increases in agricultural production and efficiency when arable lands were divied up into small collectives - small enough where one person's shirking would have a direct effect on his or her own welfare. Once Mao melded these smaller collectives into huge operations (obstensibly to take advantage of economies of scale), shirking went up and production went down and thousands of people starved to death. Instead of shirking for a rich landlord, peasants "shirked" for the CCP. (I'm using that damn word too much) Maybe collectives (or Communism) may work in very small population samples - far too small for any current nations-states to conceive of. Selfish people in a capitalist society are more prone to work harder. Selfish people in a Communist society (where everyone gets the same stuff) are more prone to be lazy. Selfish people everywhere are probably also more prone to corruption.
Good point! As our democratic system glides more and more to socialism, non-Democratic China may one day be the only capitalist state left.
