Instigator / Pro
12
1588
rating
23
debates
67.39%
won
Topic
#2653

Capitalism is more democratic that socialism

Status
Finished

The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.

Winner & statistics
Better arguments
6
0
Better sources
2
4
Better legibility
2
2
Better conduct
2
2

After 2 votes and with 4 points ahead, the winner is...

Patmos
Parameters
Publication date
Last updated date
Type
Standard
Number of rounds
3
Time for argument
Two days
Max argument characters
30,000
Voting period
One month
Point system
Multiple criterions
Voting system
Open
Contender / Con
8
1469
rating
7
debates
28.57%
won
Description

No information

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@Patmos

In my vote, I indicated that you offered no sources. In fact, you quoted Nathan Robinson in R1, but did not offer a citation such that I was unable to go to any specific source to confirm the quote. Lacking a citation, I do not consider that meets the demand of sourcing, per voting policy. In the future, please cite your sources so voters may verify.

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@Patmos

I'm in process of voting, and ran across this item in your argument in your R1, or your preference of PC over Mac, and, having not yet finished a review of the arguments, I still had to stop to comment on this point, only because I, too had that choice, and have made it several times in my life, bouncing back and forth. I've chosen PC s a few times, but only because I needed compatibility with my office while I was working for "the man." But, many years ago, having decided I could do better on my own, and started my own business, I doggedly maintained Macs in succession because they are simply more dependable, and do not constantly ask me if I'm sure I want to do such and such a function, afraid that I might make a mistake, and also that I was asked to use a counter-intuitive shutdown of the machine using the START button. Absurd. I was broken on the pane of Windows. Mac forever!! But I do support that argument. At least, we have the individual choice!

Opps gg well play my typo damn

Capitalism is not a political system. It has nothing to say about democracy. It calls for a separation of state and economics (ie for individualism, voluntarism and private property rights). It's only political interface is to support the rule of law (in particular contract and property rights) and protection from external aggression (a military). There are traditions that within the overall umbrella of Capitalism that call for a no-state solution (which borders on the political). But we must differentiate between political freedoms and economic freedoms. Capitalism only requires economic freedoms to be maximised (where that exact point lies to some extent depends on the country, ts geography and the culture of the people).

Socialism is a political system that removes these economic rights and replaces it with an economic system which nationalises industry and attempts to centrally plan outcomes to a desired arbitrary pattern. And is always a total disaster. Sooner or later the plans collapse and people "want a strong man" to sort it out..and they find the body politik is only too willing to oblige. Even in its ideal form it is far from a democracy as it calls for a crushing both political and economic freedoms, under a boot.

Communism is an a-political system, akin to an anarchy as @armoredcat states.

Capitalism doesn't need a democracy (in theory nor practice) to function (eg Singapore or HK). However it needs people to have economic freedom, and as such political freedoms tend to develop alongside this in most Capitalist countries. But it can still function without. Socialism inevitably leads to authoritarianism as laid out beautifully in the "Road to Serfdom" by Friedrich Hayek. The classic current case study is Venezeula.

There is absolutely zero evidence to conclude that people become "more equal" the more Socialism they have. A quick cross-reference of the GINI coefficient and the international economic freedom index by country shows no such correlation. One could say that people in Socialist countries where universally poorer than their counterparts in Capitalist countries. That evidence is clear.

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@Intelligence_06

Marxism is communist...

Also, communism's end goal is the abolition of the state. So if you're saying that communism is authoritarian you must be saying that in some nontraditional sense.

I think you mean communism. Social democracy and even marxism asks for democracy more than capitalism. Communism is always authoritarian and collectivist.

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@seldiora

Both, I suppose. Both in ideology and in practical effect.

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@Patmos

Can you be more specific in what "is more democratic" means? Does this mean in practice capitalism is more democratic? Or on a pure ideological basis? It's unclear which side should/can be argued.