27 February 2009

Bill Bonner on Capitalism

What is capitalism, after all? It is not a system...not a plan...not a program. It was not decreed by any half-wit tyrant...nor written into law by any earnest assembly. It has no constitution...and no boundaries. It is merely a recognition of basic principles. 'Thou shalt not steal,' it says in the Bible. Capitalism recognizes other peoples' property. The baker has a right to his oven. The farmer has a right to his land. The capitalist has a right to his money. What they do with these things is up to them.

Will they make mistakes? Of course they will. Will they do evil and obnoxious things? No doubt about it. Will they occasionally lose their heads and overprice their assets...or run the whole economy into too much debt...or blow themselves up in a bubble? You bet.

As Adam Smith described, they will also bumble along to create the wealth of nations.
Bill Bonner on Capitalism.

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