[Pierre]

Originally Posted by jfman

You can natter on all you please about human nature, it doesn’t justify the excesses of failed capitalism any more that it justifies robbery, fraud or other petty crime for the purposes of acquiring goods.

I’m not justifying anything, just explaining why anything other than a form of capitalism doesn’t work and never will. Just look around the globe to see all the other countries were a pure form of socialism is thriving.

Dipping the pension pot to prop up a failing business, while paying yourself dividends, and leaving the taxpayer to pick up the tab is “human nature”.

You’re missing the point, ant form of capitalism or socialism is open to abuse, although you do highlight the fundamental issue that I am trying to get across to you and that is fundamentally humans are greedy.

You could quite easily turn that argument to a current functioning communist model and say living in luxury whilst your citizens starve? Is that socialism?

You are also, as ever, viewing everything though a simplistic understanding that there is only capitalism or communism and not a grey area in between

There are of course differing models but the successful one are capitalist at heart. Bernie Sanders always used to point to Scandinavian countries as examples where socialism works, but they are nothing of the sort, they are very lightly regulated in most areas and certainly free market. What they are, are highly taxed.

with (regulated) markets where they work and state funded provision in areas of market failure.

The state doesn’t fund anything - a common mistake made by those that think the government can provide all. Taxpayers fund and the state manages the budget.

Certain things can be managed by the state or local government, whether it is done better or worse than the free market is open to argument.

The usual suspects being transport and health, on the other hand government intervention where it isn’t required (British Leyland) can be devastating for a whole industry.

I’m sorry you appear unable to understand the complexities of this, possibly because your adversarial political ideology doesn’t allow it, however I’m sure others can understand perfectly well.

Nice condescending sign off, I won’t rise to your feeble effort of a veiled insult.