AlterNet: Opinion- Robert Reich- "American Capitalism is in Crisis": Liberal Capitalism vs. Social Capitalism

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Source:  AlterNet: Opinion- Robert Reich- American Capitalism vs Social Capitalism) 

There are a lot of so-called Progressives in America who are really are what would be called Social Democrats or Socialists in Canada or Europe that argue that “Canada and Europe does it better economically than America. So America should move to Canada or Europe”. That is transform our economic system that looks more Canadian or European becoming more socialist. With a large welfare or superstate there to take care of everyone regardless of income level. 

Well at risk of stating the obvious even if you get past the social and cultural differences between Americans and Europeans and Canadians what works in one country doesn’t automatically work in another country. If you get past the fact that Americans tend to be individualistic (not including our Progressives) and want the freedom to take care of ourselves. And that Canadians and Europeans tend to be collectivist and like big government taking care of them. Or the fact that total population of Canada and Scandinavia is roughly sixty-five-million people over six countries. And they all produce the natural resources of large countries and are all energy independent. And that America is a country of three-hundred and ten-million people and still imports oil and gas. The fact is Canada and Scandinavia can afford to be much more socialist because they have the resources to do so and the people who want it. 

Its not that American capitalism or what I call liberal capitalism doesn’t work. It is the fact that we’ve moved away from what works for us economically. Which is a strong education and infrastructure system and stopped investing in the things that work in education. And keep funding the things that do not work. Like forcing kids to go to school based on where they live instead of what is the best school for them. With the parents having the freedom to make that decision for them. Small energy independent countries can afford to be socialist especially if their people want that. But large countries that get a lot of energy resources from other countries have to rely on their people to take care of themselves. Which means they have to have the skills to be able to do that. And schools need to give them the opportunity to have that and have the resources to make that happen. With a modern solid infrastructure system that empower everyone to be able to get around the country in a safe and timely manner. 

There is no such thing as “free public services”. If government is providing services for the people than the taxpayers are paying for those services. So the question is how best for people to get the services that they need to live well. And for me that means having an educated country with the resources to take care of themselves and live in freedom. Which benefits everyone and keeps the cost of government down. 

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