@thomascrosthwaite,
thomascrosthwaite;49789 wrote:G-man, I agree that capitalism has a good side. I have bought and sold stocks off and on during my life time. I also believe that things are getting better. For example, at one time it was against the law to teach simple arithmetic in Mexico because the workers would know when they had been cheated on their pay. Coal miners have also been treated this way in this country. Some of the poorest people that I know are people who have worked hard all of their lives.
"Opporitunity", is all capitalism offers. Nothing more, nothing less.
My family begins, at least as far back as my knowledge goes, in West "by God" Virgina. Most of my people are coal miners. My immediate family moved to Ohio where I and one of my siblings were born. Most of my family remained in W.Va..
Living their lives in shanties. When my father and ma moved to Ohio, others followed. But, most stayed. We went back often. Long before my parents died, all of our uncles had died well before the age of 60 from black lung. They all had the opporitunity to leave the situation they were in and likely live longer and better lives. Hard work, nor opporitunity are a guarantee of anything. But, most of my family chose to remain in the circumstances that they were born to. We live and die by "our" choices in capitalism.
The system of capitalism, created the opporitunities that my parents took advantage of and the others made their choices. Without capitalism, my parents would likely have been forced to remain in them thar mountains, and my brothers and myself would likely spent our lives in the shafts. We've all done well and are comfortable. Not rich, but comfortable. I love capitalism.
