Why not capitalism?
In this 2014 video from Bloggingheads.tv Will Wilkinson and Jason Brennan discuss Brennan’s new book “Why Not Capitalism?“
Most economists believe capitalism is a compromise with selfish human nature. As Adam Smith put it, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” Capitalism works better than socialism, according to this thinking, only because we are not kind and generous enough to make socialism work. If we were saints, we would be socialists.
In Why Not Capitalism?, Jason Brennan attacks this widely held belief, arguing that capitalism would remain the best system even if we were morally perfect. Even in an ideal world, private property and free markets would be the best way to promote mutual cooperation, social justice, harmony, and prosperity. Socialists seek to capture the moral high ground by showing that ideal socialism is morally superior to realistic capitalism. But, Brennan responds, ideal capitalism is superior to ideal socialism, and so capitalism beats socialism at every level.
Clearly, engagingly, and at times provocatively written, Why Not Capitalism? will cause readers of all political persuasions to re-evaluate where they stand vis-à-vis economic priorities and systems—as they exist now and as they might be improved in the future.
A link to the Bloggingheads.tv clip is available here.
Update: Brennan gives a brief summary of his book’s thesis here.
3 Responses to “Why not capitalism?”
Its worth noting that Brennan’s book is a reply to Marxist G. A. Cohen’s book “Why Not Socialism?”
Well there are lots of reasons like the truth (which is hidden)
Petro dollars, slavery, war, lies, murder
A you tube video on the fed and petro dollars and some history
Good reasons for looking at capitalism in a different light.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnvEpxuJ4mk&list=WL&index=7
electrickiwi. I think you have missed completely the point of Brennan’s book or Cohen’s book for that matter. The things you mention are to do with the state and how it uses, or abuses, its power. To take your example of the Fed. That is a government institution.