Submitted by Freedom Crier
One has to admire Rihanna’s Tenacity to Work hard to reach her level of achievement demonstrating to all that just a kid from St. Michael willing to use her Talents and Abilities can achieve what she has put their mind to. Rihanna through her Drive and Determination is in a position where she can give a hand up, ‘not a hand out’ to assist others through her scholarship fund and other benevolent causes from her own pocket, not someone else’s. Her Motto is Work, Work, and Work. Another local example of a Work, Work, and Work entrepreneur is Mark Maloney who lately is getting some stick. Do not glorify one and disparage other local entrepreneurs like Bjerkham, Bizzy & COW Williams. They are many others not singled out but a select few?
The Government in Barbados is grossly oversized employing 20% of the workforce. That is a tremendous burden on the taxpayer. I would prefer to see more people in Barbados work less for the Government. I want them to have the rewards of their own industry. This is the chief meaning of freedom. “A man’s right to work as he will, to spend what he earns, to own his own property, to have the state as servant and not as master, they are the essence of a free economy, and on that freedom all our freedoms depend”. Margaret Thatcher.
Russian born novelist’s, Ayn Rand’s, intellectual assault against the Marxists of her day who diminish the worth of Individual Freedom, she argues in character: “But you say that [wealth] is made by the strong at the expense of the weak? What strength do you mean? It is not the strength of guns or muscles. Wealth is the product of man’s capacity to think. Then is [wealth] made by the man who invents a motor at the expense of those who did not invent it? Is [wealth] made by the intelligent at the expense of the fools? By the able at the expense of the incompetent? By the ambitious at the expense of the lazy? [Wealth] is made — before it can be looted or mooched — by the effort of every honest man, each to the extent of his ability. An honest man is one who knows that he can’t consume more than he has produced” (See: Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, 1957.) “In other words, wealth comes at nobody’s expense but the inventor, the free thinker, the one actually taking the risk and making the sacrifice. It never costs anything to anybody else. There is no expense incurred to those who sit by the sidelines. Therefore, it cannot ever be considered ‘theft” from others who were never involved nor invested in the very process. It costs others nothing!”
How is Free Enterprise “Capitalism” better than Socialism?
The essential nature of Free Enterprise Capitalism is social harmony through the pursuit of self-interest. Under Capitalism, the individual’s pursuit of his own economic self-interest simultaneously benefits the economic self-interests of all others. In allowing each individual to act unhampered by government regulations, Capitalism causes wealth to be created in the most efficient manner possible which ultimately raises the standard of living, increases the economic opportunities, and makes available an ever growing supply of products for everyone. The free-market operates in such a way so that as one man creates more wealth for himself, he simultaneously creates more wealth and opportunities for everyone else, which means that as the rich become richer, the poor become richer. It must be understood that Capitalism serves the economic self-interests of all, including the Non-Capitalists. “And even if we were all magically made equal in wealth tonight, we’d be unequal in the morning because some of us would spend it and some of us would save it”. Lawrence Reed.
Contrary to widely held beliefs, capitalism is not a system which exploits a large portion of society for the sake of a small minority of wealthy capitalists. Ironically, it is actually socialism that causes the systematic exploitation of labor. Since the socialist state holds a universal monopoly on labor and production, no economic incentive exists for the socialist state to provide anything more than minimum physical subsistence for the workers except to perhaps prevent riots or revolutions. Exploitation is inherent to the nature of socialism because individuals cannot live for their own sake, rather, they exist merely as means to whatever ends the socialist rulers—the self-proclaimed spokesman of “society,” may have in mind.”
Bringing this reality of full Blown Socialism close to home are our neighbors in Venezuela and the ills they are suffering with corruption on every level by their elected officials. The Government controls the largest known oil reserves in the world, yet the Country is Broke. They also control through compulsory means the food distribution system, yet there is little food and people scavenge to survive. There is diminutive water and energy shortages, not even to speak about basic commodities and medical supplies and needed medications! Yet they blame America for all their tribulations, it is never their fault! Want to guess who the richest person in Venezuela is! None other than Hugo Chavez’s daughter.
Any country on earth is capable of creating the like, watch the trend or patterns evolving you only need to follow the path to Venezuela. Attack property rights and Trade, Pillage the Rich, abolish the Price System, Jail Dissenters, crush the opposition, and dismantle the System of National Liberty. This is Socialism; it is a path to Hell on Earth. How many steps are we in Barbados away from this Peril? We sure are on a downward slope.
What is the Solution?
Free Enterprise (Capitalism) leads to Prosperity and Freedom while Socialism leads to Poverty and Bondage! Capitalism doesn’t come with a warranty or “money back” guarantee. Yet, it encourages individuality, creativity, opportunity, risk taking, ambition, pride, dignity, and a sense of accomplishment, promotion, and provision. As much as Socialist professes their disdain for capitalism, they’ve yet to offer a better system. The reason is simple; it doesn’t exist.
Capitalism is a made up word by Communist to describe “Free Enterprise and the use of Capital”. Free Enterprise, for it to be Free, must be Free of all encumbrances that will control it. Crony Capitalism, uses the word Capitalism in an effort to change the language from the word Free-remembering Capitalism = Free Enterprise. What we have pre-existing in the world is not Free Enterprise; Crony Capitalism is an attempt to label the System of Free Enterprise by regulating it until it is no longer Free. Free Enterprise (Capitalism) = Free Markets
Cronyism is where big business and governments collude to give special favours to those entities to the exclusion of the ordinary person. Crony Capitalism is an attempt to label the System of Free Enterprise by regulating it until it is no longer Free.
Four Reasons the Left Should Love Capitalism But…
blackcommunitynews.com/four-reasons-the-left-should-love… Click on link to open
Capitalism has a new competitor, and its name is “shame.” The left is determined to make capitalism morally reprehensible. Cloaked in provocative terms like “income inequality,” wealth redistribution has become the popular economic philosophy in the world today, but it doesn’t hold a candle to capital…
There is Free Marker Enterprise (Capitalism) and Crony- Capitalism.
Free Enterprise is not regulated by Endless Burdensome Regulations, brought about by Socialist Communism resulting in Crony- Capitalism! The law in a free society is only used for the protection of person and property—you cannot use the law as a tool for force and theft of property and labour, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE INTENTION—this economic ideology of a “fair share” of another’s labour is the foundation for Fascism, Nazism, Socialism, and Communism. Using government to “help” individuals is NOT liberalism, it is at one level or another—only and ALWAYS Collectivism.
Are you tired of being Robbed?
A Capitalist Society is a just society because all individuals are considered equal under the law. Capitalism recognizes that it is just for a man to keep what he has earned and that it is unjust for a man, or group of men, to have the right to what other people have earned. Since all people must live independently under Capitalism, all of the material values that a person acquires must be earned. Thus, the expression of social justice under Capitalism is that what a man earns is directly proportional to what he produces, no progressive income taxes stifling his achievement for the sole fact the he did achieve. All other forms of government, such as the welfare state, institutionalize injustice by legally expropriating the property of some men and giving it to others.
Many people have trouble accepting that Capitalism is a just system because of the existence of economic inequality. It is observed that famous celebrities and sports stars have very large incomes for work that is perceived as trivial, and that many hard working people make incomes which pale in comparison for jobs that are perceived to be a greater benefit to society. What people must realize is that it is perfectly just for a superstar (like Rihanna), even if they have little or no education, to make a hundred times the income of a scientist who has a Ph.D. and works much longer and strenuous hours. Why? Because they create enormous profits through ticket sales and product endorsements, whereas the scientist generates very little revenue through his research. That is, each of them deserves what they earn, and what they earn is the result of how much wealth each of them creates (Incidentally, this is not to say that the Celebs and Artiste are morally superior to the scientist because they are wealthier). Since each man has the right to the product of his labor, it is completely just for the disparity in incomes to exist, and the only injustice to occur would be or the government to take money from the athlete and give it to those who supposedly deserve it on the basis of their “need.”
What is a Capitalist?
From a purely economic point of view, a capitalist is a person who buys in order to sell for profit. However, the productive role that capitalists and businessman serve cannot be overstated.
Far from being exploiters, the true function of capitalists and businessmen “… is to raise the productivity, and thus the real wages, of manual labor by means of creating, coordinating, and improving the efficiency of the division of labor.” By continuously improving the efficiency of labor, Capitalists and businessmen are responsible for raising wages and creating employment which serve to raise the standard of living of everyone. Furthermore, by funding research and capital investments, corporations and capitalists make possible all of the modern day conveniences, from laser surgery to orchestra halls that most people take for granted every day. In fact, since capitalists make available so much life-saving and labor-saving technology to so many people, they should be regarded as some of mankind’s greatest benefactors. A few capitalists and businessmen have done more to help mankind live a more enjoyable life in a more fundamental sense, a capitalist is anyone (from a janitor to a millionaire) who lives solely by his own effort and who respects the rights of others. The best symbol of a capitalist is the trader. That is, the man or woman who only deals with other people on a voluntary basis. A capitalist is neither an “exploiter” nor necessarily a “greedy” individual.
What is the Role of Government in a Capitalist Society?
The only purpose of Government would be to protect its citizens from force or fraud.
Any other function of government than those listed above, no matter what its intentions, would necessitate the violation of rights by initiating the use of force against the people it is supposed to protect. Taxation is not Voluntary it is taken by Force.
“There are two and only two ways that any economy can be organized. One is by freedom and voluntary choice—the way of the market. The other is by force and dictation—the way of the State…
The State obtains its revenue by coercion, by threatening dire penalties should the income not be forthcoming. That coercion is known as “taxation,” although in less regularized epochs it was often known as “tribute…
Taxation is theft, purely and simply even though it is theft on a grand and colossal scale which no acknowledged criminals could hope to match. It is a compulsory seizure of the property of the State’s inhabitants, or subjects.”
What Percentage of Your Income Equates To Serfdom
90%? 80%? 50%?
We must be able to have a System of Governance that allows Free Market Enterprise without all the burdensome regulations and heavy Taxations.
“Free-market Capitalism is a network of free and voluntary exchanges in which producers work, produce, and exchange their products for the products of others through prices voluntarily arrived at….
Man has rights because they are natural rights. They are grounded in the nature of man: the individual’s capacity for conscious choice, the necessity for him to use his mind and energy to adopt goals and values, to find out about the world, to pursue his ends in order to survive and prosper, his capacity and need to communicate and interact with other human beings and to participate in the division of labor”…
To prefer #socialism is to prefer something that has proven disastrous and harmful everywhere it has been implemented–but equally so!
To prefer #capitalism is to prefer the only system that has *ever* lifted humans out of poverty–even if unequally. -> https://goo.gl/HIeVjQ
“With these fundamentals now on the table, we may now keenly understand what American Spectator’s author J.T. Young succinctly points out:
“The left’s inherent challenge is justifying their claim to what others own.” Hence they launch divisive disinformation campaigns pitting one against another, calling whatever they can’t control ‘unfair and undemocratic.’
(See: Understanding the Left’s Demands on What Others Own, T.J. Young, The American Spectator, March 2013).
“And they do this by hypocritically indicting Free Enterprise (Capitalism) or laissez faire economics as criminal. They claim that such a system is entirely unfair, wherein Government interference is kept at a minimum and free trade is generally allowed to be unregulated between individuals. They accuse such unrestrained Liberty as being the means by which the wholesale “theft” from society takes place. This gives them reason to limit personal freedom and aggressively denigrate the Liberties of personal initiative and creativity.
Under the rubric of “You didn’t build that!” they feverishly claim that Society creates wealth, not individuals. Persisting in their lie, they insist that entrepreneurs are just those that steal or pirate the wealth rightfully belonging to others. According to their entrenched purview, everything that individuals may create or produce only occurs because of the governing that has made the means of wealth possible. They erroneously claim that every activity yielding a prosperous outcome belongs rightfully to everybody else.
And thus their redistribution of wealth becomes the final arbitrator of fairness. In their view, no matter the individual endeavour, means or investment applied no one has the right to ownership of anything that somebody else does not have. Thus according to this half-baked paradigm, Marxist-Utopists hate Free-Enterprise Capitalism because it violates their sense of entitlement (‘fairness’ to them), accusing Capitalists of the three infamies they find most unforgiving. Namely, (1) the inequality of personal outcome which is derived from the interaction between (2) Free-Market economics and (3) personal independence, all of which they claim invariably leads to the greed and self-centeredness of materialism.
Thus they invalidate the most fundamental rights of man, the rights of ownership and personal property.” Correctly countering this selective perception, Russian born novelist Ayn Rand argued that, “Just as man can’t exist without his body, so no rights can exist without the right to translate one’s rights into reality — to think, to work and to keep the results — which means: the right of property…. Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights [and the Bill of Rights particularly] is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities…and the smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights, cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.” (See: The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand, 1943)
Dr. Gregory C Young, B.A., M.Sc., Ph.D./D.Phil. (Oxon.).
The Sovereignty of the One ~ On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Don’t be fooled by the words “Socialism” and “Communism”. Once you come to understand what they mean in terms of economic freedom you will understand that they are anything but social, and have nothing to do with community. They simply mean the “centralization of power in the hands of the people that make up the government in the hands of the master class”. They are nothing but euphemisms for “Slavery”.
What is the Opposite of Capitalism?
Statism, in any form!
Statism is the concentration of power in the state at the expense of individual freedom. Capitalism is the only system which protects individual rights and freedom, but the variety of political systems which violate individual freedom are numerous: Socialism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, absolute Monarchies, Military Dictatorships, Theocracies, or the Welfare State are all systems which infringe upon individual rights, which means they institutionalize the initiation of force against their citizens.
It must be realized that there are only two fundamental political philosophies: those who are for freedom and individual rights and those who are against them. The types of political systems who are against freedom and individual rights are numerous, for there are many ways to violate the rights of man, but there is only one political-economic philosophy which upholds that the rights of man are absolute and immutable—Capitalism.
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