What Went Wrong with Capitalism
| Cconomic gains are increasingly concentrated among the wealthy, leading to a widening wealth gap. This challenges the idea that capitalism benefits all, prompting questions: Is capitalism inherently unequal? Or, are current policies failing to address inequality?
Deregulation and short-term profit motives have contributed to financial crises, eroding trust in markets.
| Corporations are prioritizing quarterly profits over long-term sustainability, which harms society and the environment. This raises questions: Is short-term profit obsession compatible with societal well-being? Or, should there be reforms to prioritize long-term value creation?
| I advocate for reforms focused on sustainability, equity, and inclusion—such as better redistribution policies and sustainable investments. This prompts discussion: What specific reforms are most effective? And, how can capitalism be reshaped to serve the many rather than the few?
Is the fundamental flaw of capitalism its focus on profit at the expense of social good?
Can capitalism be reformed effectively, or does it require a more revolutionary overhaul?
| According to the World Inequality Report 2022, the top 1% of earners captured around 20% of global income, while the bottom 50% earned just 8%. In the United States, the wealthiest 1% own more than 40% of the country's wealth, a level not seen since the Gilded Age.
| The 2008 Global Financial Crisis was triggered by risky lending practices, complex financial derivatives, and insufficient regulation. Lehman Brothers’ collapse led to a worldwide recession, costing millions of jobs and homes. The crisis exposed how short-term profit motives and lax oversight can destabilize entire economies.
| Many corporations prioritize quarterly earnings over long-term sustainability. Shareholder activism often pressures companies to deliver immediate returns, sometimes at the expense of long-term innovation or social responsibility.
This phenomenon can lead to underinvestment in R&D, environmental initiatives, or employee development, undermining sustainable growth and societal well-being.
| Nordic countries like Sweden and Norway have implemented progressive taxation, robust social safety nets, and sustainable investment policies. These reforms have resulted in high living standards, low inequality, and sustainable growth.
By contrast, many other countries lack such social policies, leading to increased inequality and social unrest, demonstrating the potential benefits of adopting more inclusive and sustainable economic models.
| I think monopoly building has been a huge problem along with weakened anti trust laws. Plus you have big tech taking over everything and trying to push ponzi schemes none stop which old politicians are not savvy enough to regulate because they are hypnotised by "They're building the star trek future."
| If you were to ask Marx, capitalism tends towards monopolization and inequality. Capitalism is defined by the labor relation of owner and wage laborer, the value of the commodity produced is worth more than the wage of the one producing it, and the surplus value is profit for the capitalist. In a system where you can be out competed by more cut throat business women you are incentivized, even rewarded, to be cut throat yourself. You need regulation to keep these excesses in check.
| >>1057646 But the capitalist class benefits from these excesses at our expense, so they invest in undermining those regulations. If you aren't careful you end up in a country with weak labor unions, austerity, monopolization, a diminishing middle class, basically America.
Marx is cringe and boring tho.
| capitalism is the perfect system. the problem is capitalists
| loser minimal wage rant moment
| The nordic countries got it right. Capitalism needs to have firm bounds and limits, and the entire system must have social welfare as a priority first. Economic success is merely a bonus.
| It’s good to be a loser doing your best! If we all killer ourselves and left ceos to uphold civilization i think they’d be very scared and regretful for making posts like yours x)
I agree about the Nordic countries but also they should be more successful. It’s not responsible that they let their neighbors just suffer instead of expanding their way of doing things and power- but they have a lot on their plates
| >>1057689
Sweden is losing their fight against the 1% and we(grassroot) are currently in the midst of mapping corrupt leaders and their wealthy friends. People tend to think highly of Sweden and their gov is good at obfustating unpleasant facts but the truth is much more grim. They have the worst wealth distruption in the developed world, for example. Even Russia and America is doing better on that front and that's saying something. They also have the most unemployed people in EU.
| The head of Rockefeller Capital Management's international business predicted pretty much every big tax-the-rich-demonstrations in the world the last few years and a few days ago he wrote a piece about how Sweden is in the eye of the storm right now. They're in a nationwide class war and the rich are currently winning.
Sweden is such an oddball of a nation. They're doing a lot of evil fucking shit but they're not necesarily an evil country.
| Oh, and you know how pretty much every developed nations courtroom the jury are made normal people? In Sweden they're all politicans. Yes, politicans are the only one who is judging people in court. It's totally fucked up and a cesspool of "legal corruption".
| -made
| The swedish welfare system is being dismantled by the 1% and people are dying as we speak. The number 1 cause of death among Swedish adults is suicide...
| >>1057712 That’s what I’m saying. The capitalist class benefits from stripping away social safety nets and regulations, so they invest their resources into undermining the systems that benefits us plebeians.
Shit sucks. Capitalism needs to die frfr.
| I will just remind a catch phrase:
"If something is not clear, then let us turn to K. Marx."
So, the study of His fundamental work can help to understand current state of affairs.
Refresh
| I'm arguing that the current state of capitalism has fundamentally deviated from its original purpose of promoting broad-based prosperity. While capitalism has historically driven innovation and economic growth, recent decades have seen increasing inequality, financial instability, and social discontent.