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From: EconFree
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  • capitalism leads to crony capitalism because it makes some people very rich. Money is power and they will buy government power, The government decides when the legal force of the state is used, The poeple with money will always try to buy the people with the guns to protect themselves.

  • yes the e.coli in food and lead in children's toys are from more regulation.

    wow

  • This sounds like a big bunch of crap from the libertarian kookoos.

  • @Hwillijonl expound. Peer-reviewed academic journal or gtfo.

  • @Hwillijonl I like how you declare an entire group of people as all kookoo. Sounds rather prejudice. Now, of course you could declare the ideology as "kookoo" (for I say the same for the Republican and Democratic parties). There's no cult movement. There are PLENTY of well-respected professors, journalists and a few politicians who subscribe to this thought. Then again they called Plato "kookoo", they called MLK "kookoo" and they'll call everybody kookoo. Because that's just the way it works.

  • What i would like to know is where are the proofs to support this claim? How am I sure I am not being deceived by this video?

  • @Mojoman1 Well, educating yourself of the facts. Research. Believe it or not, the Richdad book and the fairtax book, will get you started in the right direction. Then read Atlas Shrugged and Mises org at the same time.

    Also it helps if your an honest person. Not a saint, but you have principles you stick to.

  • As Ayn Rand so perfectly called it: "The Aristocracy of Pull".

  • There are basically two very different usages of the term 'Capitalism' in wide circulation. The word 'capitalism' was first coined by Karl Marx, and by it he meant economic arrangements of private property dominated by large holders of capital and benefiting non-working financiers/investors at the relative expense of working folks. Basically 'Predatory Parasite economics'.

    Many others think 'capitalism' means 'market economics' and relatively 'free trade'. Adam Smith never used the term.

  • Dr Satcher, right now, sits on the CDC Foundation Board and the Board of J&J. I did not vote to allow a pharma to run this country. Let the pharmas run their businesses the old fashioned way. Create a product. Market it. If it's good it'll sell. If not it won't. This buying legislators and legislation to push for laws to sell products that don't work (Nicorette, Nicotrol) and then getting them on Medicare payout is criminal, but no one from the IRS or Dept of Justice or Congress cares!

  • The United States government, owned and operated by Johnson and Johnson. They're in the FDA, the EPA, the CDC, both sides of the aisle, HHS. I admire capitalism, and the free market. I do NOT approve of J&J buying legislation to further the sales of their nicotine replacement products. I do not approve of them buying our once respected "charities", who are now the lobbying arm of J&J. I do NOT approve of our Surgeon Generals, the last three, being so closely aligned with J&J's philanthropic arm.

  • This is a very simple video directed at the typical non-interested voter. The visual aids in it just goes to show how the ordinary American hasn't matured much passed the 6th grade. It is spot on and accurate, but had to be dumbed down so average folks can understand a simple concept. Too bad the Occupy crowd can see passed their liberal arts degrees to watch it.

  • its just a step. A big one. Creative minds should come up with other legislation to positively benefit America and limit self serving interests of entities like pacs, corporate lobbyists etc etc.

  • public funding for elections

  • @MrExplosive11 do you really think that would help?

  • "Crony Capitalism" is a direct descendant of Frederic Bastiat's genius analysis of French fumbling with socialism, in which he proves it wrong beyond any doubt. Sadly, his warnings were not heeded.  The original, early socialist ideas began in France, ala DesCartes, Rouseau, et al, before getting hijacked by the Germans, ala Kant, Humboldt and Marx, et al. Hence, communism comes directly from Franco-Germanic ideas, and is the sole alternative to the freedom of America's Founding, and it's ...

  • I made a snowman!

  • IN OPPORTUNITY.

  • 7 people believe they are entitled to other people's money.

  • @asperin Those same seven also believe it's ok to enslave certain groups of people as long as 51% think it's ok.

  • The public school systems turn out the economic ignoramuses. Lefty college professors feed off of the stupidity and add to it. Just look at the "Occupy" protestors. These speakers have it right as when government gets involved it turns to socialism. We put yahoos in office like Barney Frank who meddle with the system and then blame corporations and bank for their transgressions.

  • ignorance is bliss for the government

  • WE NEED EQUALITY.

  • @KEVLANEW80 Equality in opportunity or outcome? I'm all for equality in opportunity but I don't want equal outcomes for all.

  • @Loyal2Liberty Equal opportunity is the only way, but even that is misleading. We don't give equal oppurtunity to those which we want to date or even marry. If a business owner tuely owns his own tools, capital, and property they should have every right to pick out the best workers which they feel can do the job to the best of their ability to provide the best product or service that they can to their consumer.

  • I know this man it's my fellow countrymen that can't connect the dots. I don't blame lobbyists I blame the people they lobby.

  • In a way, the federal government became the mafia, so would you want to be a made man or swimming with the fishies?

    Even though there are parts of the Americans with Disabilities Act that I believe should be law, that act set up a legal racketeering ring of lawyers looking to sue businesses out of business even if the business was willing to comply with providing the accommodation that a person with a disability needs!

  • or armed robbery.

  • I like the idea of just calling it venture socialism.

  • This video has it spot on. It really pisses me off when dummies blame Capitalism for all the ills in the United States. Capitalism is what made this country great, and people are throwing it away.

  • if you believe the ultimate power resides in the private money and not in the government, then why do you cast your votes into ballot boxes instead of casting money into the pockets of the wealthiest? that would at least be rational, but now you are not

  • if the public sector privatizes government seats why be outraged at those who are willing to buy them and not at those who sell them? If law counts for nothing to the politicians, why should a business man not buy what's for sale?

  • remove the congress members that made money from their laws passage? I say follow the Constitution they only get two years in office in the House six years in the Senate rotate them all out that often take away the lobbyist biggest incentive there is no mention of serving several terms the wording says "Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States" the Senate for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

  • It's strange how the general public sees videos and information like this, not only thinks its total bullshit believes it's pro-big-business propaganda. It's crazy.

    When there's no power to be had, there's no one to bribe. The "good regulations" you want will never materialize, because you can't afford to buy the people who make the rules- that pleasure is reserved to the highest bidder. So quit bitching for "more regulations", because it's obvious by now that you're never going to get them.

  • american capitalism soul is rotten

  • @TheMultiNs You didn't watch the video, did you?

  • Riiight...and the Soviet Union wasn't a "true" communist state. I wish that economists would spend less time building hyper-idealized conceptual models based on a rational choice / game theory framework and spend more time studying the world as it actually works. Without significant political changes first, I have no doubt that a reduction in government regulations will only make "crony capitalism" much, much worse.

  • @onelowerlight Actually these three aren't the type of economists you described. Those are the Krugman ala Keynesian types that believe in crony capitalism. What you fail to realize is that crony capitalists are the ones who draft most of the regulations, so how could more cronyism (regulation) be better? Have no doubt, remove the regulations and watch GE stock fall.

  • Comment removed

  • @onelowerlight What you're not comprehending is the fact that the cronies don't want to compete in a free market, hence the regulations to limit competition by putting an unnecessary burden on business.Why do you think it costs $1 million to own a taxi cab badge in NY City? Why do dog groomers need to be licensed? The question should be WHO'S idea are these regulations and what purpose do they serve. I don't think any angels are going to become bureaucrats on our behalf.

  • @bmac6446 And would getting rid of government regulations somehow "free" the market? I doubt it. Corporations were invented by the imperial powers in order to facilitate the exploitation of labor and resources from foreign lands. That's what corporations are designed to do: centralize capital and separate people from the value they create. I'm all for cutting regulations that hinder small businesses, but slashing regulations across the board will just lead to larger corporate monopolies.

  • @onelowerlight Why do you sound so Marxist? A corporation is simply a legal entity involving everyone that has to do with the business. This includes the workers as well as the investors. Didn't you know Karl Menger, along with Walrus and Jevons, put "the value of labor" argument to rest in 1871 with the marginal theory? Value is subjective to the consumer. Not enough space here to explain why Marxism is a complete fallacy. I guess a look to N. Korea should speak volumes.

  • @bmac6446 I beg to differ: watch?v=sOBWhVe68os

    I'm not a Marxist, so you don't have to go to the trouble of setting up that straw man (or vindicating Godwin's law). I will say this, though: I reject the idea that the difference between corporations and small businesses is merely a legal technicality. Corporations extract wealth from small communities and centralize it, making the rich richer. Small businesses boost employment, spur innovation, and keep the wealth within the local community.

  • @onelowerlight You do realize that any business can incorporate? There are small and large corporations. How do corporations"extract" wealth from small communities? The principle behind free enterprise and capitalism is that no one becomes wealthy without pleasing his fellowman. The exception being "cronyism" or mercantilsm or even fascism where businesses become wealthy by using the force of government. This is the current state of affairs all over the globe.

  • @bmac6446 "no one becomes wealthy without pleasing his fellowman"? That's a definition for capitalism that I haven't heard before. Is it exclusive to capitalism? Can we not say that within any other system, no one prospers without also benefiting others? Because it seems to me that capitalism isn't at all about 'pleasing' others; that's simply an unintentional effect of your own enlightened self-interest. As with all overly idealistic conceptual models, it tends to break down in practice.

  • @onelowerlight You are over arguing the point. Did Apple become wealthy by "extracting" wealth from consumers? Walmart? McDonalds? Any other business? Of course not. Marxism certainly doesn't follow this premise. Only capitalism follows this. But in a command economy, such as fascism, mercantilism, corporatism is this put out of skew. That is what the video addresses. Never had there been a true free market society. There has always been gov't intervention with bad results.

  • @bmac6446

    Apple: Contracts with subsidiaries in Asia that are flagrant polluters, even by Chinese standards.

    Walmart: Under employs and overworks its entry-level workers, has problems with sexual harassment, sells clothing produced in sweatshops in developing countries.

    McDonalds: Pre-makes its food so that its employees don't actually have to cook, trope namer of the term "McDonaldization" whereby employees feel intense dissatisfaction with their work due to its overly repetitive nature.

  • @onelowerlight I don't care if these companies pray to the moon god. They are wealthy because consumers freely exchange their money there for their goods or services. That is the basic foundation of a free exchange society and capitalism. None of these "extract" wealth from anybody. The age of plunder in western society ended with the monarchies. For me to have to explain this simple concept to you easily tells me you are Marxist. Deny it as you may.

  • Demagogue - Noun: A political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.

    Because most people don't know their head from their ass, the political class will convince them forcing others to give up their rights to not participate in big government will only leave you wondering why you are met with such hatred and resistance. Truly free people do not act like this.

  • This is by far one of the most bullshit ass right wing videos yet. How much dumber can they get.

  • @johnysocal - Any specifics?

  • @StateExempt don't bother. just another mindless hit and run comment from the Left's "have-not" army of drones. They don't think. They just carry out their orders.

  • Is Susan Dudley single?

  • A somewhat-related link, and seasonally appropriate: The Gift of the Wal-Magi (google it, apparently links are disapproved of).

  • @colebarclay, this conservative perhaps does not understand the importance of the role of government in regulating the economy, but I wonder if you overestimate the importance of regulating the economy, or underestimate the value of de-regulating. What say ye?

  • Capital requirements for banks based on the officially ex-ante perceived risk of default of the borrower, is a perfect and non-transparent hunting ground for the crony-capitalists. And also, when banks are required to hold more capital, when lending to the “risky” citizen, than when lending to the infallible sovereign, there is no economic-freedom, that’s basically communism.

  • this is so wrong and backwards. You conservatives don't don't understand how important a role government plays in regulating the economy.

  • @colebarclay You are so wrong and backwards. you Liberals don't understand how dangerous a role government plays in regulating the economy.

    I mean, you realize how dangerous a role it plays in attacking our civil liberties, and in managing foreign policy, but when it comes to the economy you're pathetically willing to trust in their supposed competence and good will, and you shamelessly attack anyone who dares question their competence or intent. Dogmatists?

  • @suitabledude Liberals are not all the same can you please not blanket us all into one category as if were one person...

  • @colebarclay That precious government is nothing more than a tool for the rich to get what they want and both the liberals and conservatives are too deep in their party's propaganda that there is no hope for either side. Statism is dead!

  • Perhaps there should be a new occupy movement: by the 1% who actually understand how capitalism works against the 99% who don't.

  • This video did not teach me anything new or provide any new insights that anyone who studies political economy, economics, or public policy doesn't already know.

  • @metaltastesgood

    Yep, same here... the problem is we are a tiny percent of the population.

  • @metaltastesgood I have to assume these videos are not for the wonks. I think they are made with broader appeal in mind.

  • Health Warning: The problem described is very real however the remedies prescribed must be take with a pinch of salt as the websitegroup is funded by the free market fundamentlist, science denying (climate science denying, Ozone depletion denying, tobacco as a carcinogen denying) Koch brothers.

  • @glontore The Koch bros actually funded research that proved global warming was real. They're not quite the deniers you're looking for, fellow padwan.

  • @glontore - Since the video itself is factual it does not matter who decided to fund it.

  • @StateExempt When the video is directing one to a source with a very specific socio-economic and political agenda and links to the Cato Institute, it matters very much. Their views must not be take in isolation.

  • @glontore - How does it matter if they site factual statistics?

  • One is pretty dim if they only look at how large corporations are in bed with government. The largest political donors and those who own more politicians are UNIONS, Banks got bailed out. They repay their loans. Unions get money without having to pay it back ... union jobs got those stimulus funds, not the struggling dry cleaners, restaurants, nor barber shops. Unions! And then there's the GSE's who've gobbled $140B, not even on the radar screens!

  • @bigmagumba What UNIONS received money? I know of no unions that got money. Please explain.

  • Wow, academics who get it. My econ professor, Bill Shaw, was fired from Indiana University @ South Bend was fired for expressing views similar to these.

  • @TalkerOne - How did they get away with that???

  • 6th

  • Anyone experiencing the video stopping every 20 secs?

  • So Crony-Capitalism is JUST capitalism. Without regulations this is a natural outcome from such an economic system.

    Obviously we should blame bankers. Bankers stole billions of dollars from Americans and will never be brought to justice.

  • @Alexlinne88 No, the point of the video is that regulations lead to corporations being able to exploit them, and this is what we call cronyism, or crony capitalism. The very fact that there *are* regulations indicate that we do not have a pure capitalist society. Without regulations, the natural outcome would be no cronyism - for it would be impossible. Cronyism, by definition, requires a big government.

  • @Alexlinne88 More like you Americans GAVE them the money in the first place. Where do you think they got the money for investments. Greedy Average Americans who wants to maximize their money. They don't know how to do it, so they hire these investment firms and banks to invest for them. There are always risks, you Americans chose to do it.

  • @Alexlinne88 No. The federal government stole billions of dollars and gave it to their friends. No regulations? Are you kidding? Did you even watch the video? There were more regulations in business and finance in 2008 than ever before.

    See also: regulatory capture.

    Your argument: "Government is grotesquely corrupt and insufficiently powerful".

  • Yay! We've gotta distinguish between true free market capitalism and Crony capitalism/mercantilism! Eliding these two is the big gambit of the left.

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