INTRODUCTION
Capitalism and Communism are two opposing systems which offer alternative ideologies. The question as to which is best has been considered and debated for a considerable length of time. Famously – the United States of America is a capitalist country, while Russia is the example of the most well-known communist nation. In this article, the advantages of both will be put forward.
DEFINITIONS
Communism is defined as “a system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs”. Capitalism on the other hand is “an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.”
FOR COMMUNISM:
Equality is always an important issue, and communism promotes this. Everyone is treated the same way, regardless of their job or status. The fortunes of China are the perfect example of how communism can succeed. China has grown exponentially to the point where it is one of the world’s biggest superpowers. With China thriving, this in part can be attributed to the stability of the country, helped by the communism system. Communism allows access to health care and education, making them easily accessible. No monopolies can form, which protects the majority. The nature of communism also means that there is low unemployment rates. While Scandinavian countries follow a ‘Nordic model’, many areas of this model are in line with communist values. Again, Scandinavian countries are an excellent example of forward-thinking nations. Furthermore, they frequently score highly in peace indexes. These points posit an argument which shows communism has many strong points to it.
FOR CAPITALISM:
On the other side of the argument, there are several positives of capitalism. Capitalism promotes the ‘free market’. Anyone can succeed, with hard work usually resulting in success – which only seems fair. Freedom and independence are two buzzwords commonly aligned with capitalism. USA’s Statue of Liberty is the perfect symbol of this. By having freedom, anyone can build a business, which boosts economic growth – in turn improving living conditions for both the rich and the poor. Moreover, capitalism is dominant in the majority of developed countries, with Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom just some examples of those who follow this system. Freedom is an integral part of capitalism – and is surely one of the most important human rights in existence. This together shows how capitalism too can work.
DEBATE:
Yet despite the advantages outlined above, there are disadvantages to both systems. It could be suggested that communism is good in theory, but poor in practice. A common criticism of communism is that the ruler leads with ‘an iron fist’. This sometimes amounts to a dictatorship. Yet those who try and fight this often become the opposite of communism while fighting – using capitalist ideologies. It could also be suggested that the nature of communism destroys motivation and the work ethic of people. There is a lack of personal growth, with little chance of progression. Poverty too is something that is near-inherent with communism. Of course capitalism has been criticized too. Its focus on profit could easily be interpreted as greed – which isn’t a desirable trait. The very nature of capitalism also needs constant-consumption – it is arguable that this isn’t sustainable. Again, the fortunes of China in recent times suggest capitalism isn’t always the way forward.
CONCLUSION:
It is a question that will surely never be answered definitively. It is a debate which will rage on for some time. And as it common on the ‘debates’ section of this blog, it is open to interpretation. And each different person reading this will have a different idea of what the correct answer is. As outlined, there are certainly merits to both methods. I will leave the debate with this scenario: If you were in charge of a start-up into artificial intelligence and there were two methods of achieving your goals, which method would you follow? The method that the majority use, or the method used by the minority? Thanks for reading.
(‘088’)
/MF/
Millicent Faith 