Crazy Capitalism

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Anarchyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!

 

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First of all, that wasn't capitalism. That was a shortage produced by government intervention (as shortages usually are). The market dictates that a laptop should cost around $1500. At that price, there's absolutely no shortage and one can walk in to your local Best Buy and pick one up any time with no rioting or violence. But here we have some school selling them for 50 bucks. At that price there's a huge shortage, so a riot ensues.

 

Sounds prophetic.

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The Mayas were right!!!!

The terrorists are coming!! The terrorists are coming!! :bugeye:

 

I thought you guys had plenty of laptops.....

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Anyways... no. Shortages causes prices to go up. Ever heard of supply and demand? When the demand is high and the supply is low, that's a shortage. If you plot it, you will get high prices, not $50 for laptops. If they are being sold by $50 that means two things (equally possible):
1) There is an incredibly high supply of laptops
2) Those laptops are junk that don't even come with Windows in them

I presume the second option would be more precise in this situation.

 

I'm a bit late in here, but I want to comment on this. This is a very good point. It's like with the trains. Everything was all confusing, with different track widths and stuff, until it all came under the power of one guy, and he standardised. Certain things are best with only a few people running them. It helps avoid confusion and increases compatability

 

He meant that the price was set artificially low at $50, which made demand outstrip supply and caused a shortage.

I believe the article stated that the laptops in question were iBooks, so they wouldn't come with Windows on them, but they aren't exactly junk.

 

Aparently, they didn't come with any technical support either....

 

Rubiks, in all your wisdom, please, tell me how companies determine if there is a market for their product and how saturated it's? Sure, some forecasts do exist BUT the MAIN mean to establish the market's capacity is to produce, produce, .... until it's too late. Or somebody else will take that share of market if company will decide "altruistically" to hold production. Secondly, there are many industries where stopping production will destroy plant. Thirdly, it's pure 19th century capitalism was shaken every other 5-10 years with crisis of overproductions. Overproduction is not a result of government meddling. It's "birth" mark of capitalism. And lastly, you are missing the main cause of overproduction: Let's assume that society created X amount of wealth. However, 1% of society holds rights to 50% of that wealth. Obviously, that 99% of society simply don't have enough of $ to purchase the material wealth it's produced. Rich 1% do not need 20,000,000 cars or loaves of bread for personal use. Thus, production must slow down or stop. Unfare distribution of added value under capitalism kills the very same capitalism. That's why colonialism, neocolonialism, merkantilism, euro socialism were "invented" to prevent civil mayhem by redistributing the wealth in one way or another.
5

 

^ Proves my point.

Thanks

 

Capitalism is the most succesful economic system there is???
So in what terms? And what does it take to be "successful"? And...WHAT is capitalism?
And what about the non-coincidence that there are also a lot of weapons in the US. Not to speak about violence and "crazyness".

I am SURE that capitalism is NOT the most succesful economic system there is.

 

Interesting. You have to ask WHAT it is yet you say you're sure it's not the most succesful system!

Have you actually studied economics or are you simply parroting what you've heard someone else say?

 

So NO i'm not a parrot of course.
And yes i studied economics but do not need this knowledge to make my statements.
And yes i ask WHAT is economics not for myself but for trying to make something clear. So..what is capitalims f.i. for YOU??
And...i am indeed sure that capitalism is NOT the most succesful system. And...i'm even more sure Americans are indeed quite crazy generally speaking but that would be some completely different discussion.

 

So wilfred, can you only point fingers, ridicule, and namecall? Or, can you contribute to this discussion? We understand the you dislike capitalism, but in your opinion what is the "best" economic system?

- KitNyx

 

Oh, and waht makes it the "best"?

- KitNyx

 

somehow i do not feel like answering that here.
maybe some other smart guy or girl can think about it and give some good contribution...i do not feel like since most people here are not prepared to really listen...and some other important reason i have to wait but well let it. for now.

My messages where exactly meant as contributions. Nothing more or less. But nobody wants to think about it. So let it.

 

What is capitalism? Is the word capitalism 100% synonymous with the phrase "free market economy". Does captalism include something that is not in a free market economy. Are campaign contributions given to politicians that result in subsidies for sugar producers part of capitalism? Are campaign contributions to politicians that result in subsidies for sugar producers part of a free market economy?

 

capitalism - an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange
brothers and sisters they own you lock stock and smoking barrel
always thought the term 'share ownership' an ironically hilarious oxymoron. Would love to know who 'coined' (stop it you're killing me) it. A bank manager?