tl;dr - true capitalism results in economic singularities and infinite wealth for everyone. that’s why i like capitalism as a leftist.

to get us started, my definition of capitalism is “unregulated competition”.

i ask because… …i really like capitalism. but i’m a leftist.

i am someone who has been called numerous 6 letter words my entire life by people who think i’m a socialist or communist. but i’m really not.

it’s funny really, those calling me a f##### can’t handle real competition. especially at this point in a planetary species’ development. where nimbleness, flexibility and cooperation among economic partners is more profitable than most government intervention. obviously.

government is meant to ensure security, authenticity and veracity of economic claims. not limit markets with patents or unreasonable prohibitions.

i think authentic capitalism is wonderful and the ideal choice for a free society.

  • ShimitarAEnglish
    197·
    23 hours ago

    Very much yes!

    Leftist doesn’t mean communist or socialist.

    And also doesn’t mean a specific economic model, more a set of principles that guide your reasoning and behaviour (hopefully)

    • CrocodilloBombardino@piefed.socialEnglish
      211·
      22 hours ago

      To be any kind of leftist at all, you have to believe in equality in society, in providing for all, and opposing hierarchy. There are many interpretations of how to get to such a place, though socialism encompasses the biggest ones.

      You can enjoy the things you have access to in the current system, but enjoying the system itself, which forces us to enrich billionaires, destroys the planet, pushes us into poverty, and wastes our time and potential working on what the market wants instead of what we want, is fundamentally anti-leftist.

          • nimpnin@sopuli.xyz
            11·
            16 hours ago

            From Wikipedia:

            Social democracy is a social, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achieving social equality.

            While it is not an objective definition, I think it is a valid point of view to see social democracy rather as a reformist variant socialism than capitalism.

            • dogbert@lemmy.zip
              11·
              12 hours ago

              Read a book. Social democracy is a reformation of capitalism, not socialism. It is literally a process that starts with a capitalist country. No country has ever started with socialism and then reverted to social democracy. It is a stage of capitalism making concessions to the working class.

              • nimpnin@sopuli.xyz
                1·
                10 hours ago

                If you were well-read in socialism, you’d know that there are a lot of disagreeing factions, and those disagreements include semantic ones over what is and isn’t socialism.

                So you tell me, what is socialism? Is marxist-leninism socialism? Is Cuba socialist? Current-day China? Mao’s China? Rojava? Would a society organized in worker co-ops be socialist?

      • pilferjinx@piefed.socialEnglish
        11·
        21 hours ago

        In terms of societal left, it would be equal opportunity and fairness without discrimination in any kind of economic apparatus. Maybe some sort of meritocracy?