Peter J. Chesterton

I love capitalism.

I’m saying it here and now; history has proven there’s no other truly successful economic system.

Every time “socialism” has been (or attempted to be) implemented, it has almost always failed and collapsed or transitioned into- as I like to call it- “capitalism with socialist characteristics” (with the exception of North Korea, of course- they’ve always been more or less something of a theocracy… Bow down and idolize the great master of all things, Kim-Jong Un!)

Just take a look at the Chinese, standing proud and tall on their soapboxes, shouting for all the world to hear about the great and glorious light of communism… Only to immediately step down and run over to grab a bite from the nearest McDonald’s.

Honestly though, everyone freaks out about how much influence China holds over American society, but I think we forget that it’s the same situation vice-versa… One of the few reasons why China has been leaning ever further towards autocracy over the years is because they’ve been trying to do everything they can to avoid this. But then again, that’s a topic for another day.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not bowing down on my hands and knees and praising it as absolute perfection- nothing on this world ever will be- I will say- as Churchill once did- it’s “the best of the worst”.

After all, life isn’t about getting what you want, but rather making do with what you have.

Supporters of all forms of failed ideologies and economic systems would rather cut off their genitals than admit such a thing (oh, wait- many of them already have).

Why am I bringing any of this up again? Just because I want to and I can-? Well, yes, but also because I’ve only recently begun to realize how much it’s given us.

Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to come to my very first basketball game- massive stadium, awesome view, overpriced snacks- y’know, the works. Everywhere I looked, I couldn’t help but notice it was all built by one thing and one thing alone…

That’s right, capitalism.

In fact, throughout the majority of the game, I spent more time thinking about what deals the big guys in business suits were making up in the control room rather than which team was going to win the game (though, thankfully, it was my home city’s).

I mean, think about it- the only reason thousands upon thousands of enthusiastic fans were able to sit down either in-stadium or at home and watch the game they love was because those men in suits were making deals in the first place.

Most of the businessmen in the sports industry (and most industries in general) are either executives or investors. The fans pay money to see the game, that money goes to the executives, who are granted a portion for themselves then use the rest to get (or keep) the company running, paying the players, the workers, and everyone else involved, and then investors- if they see the company is working well and profiting- put some of their own money into it, giving it to the executives to expand & polish the company, in hopes that should the company successfully expand, they’ll get a return on their investment.

This system works, it works well, and we benefit from it every day. It’s how we are able to buy products, services, and experiences- and funnily enough, our buying into it is how it keeps working in the first place.

Now, the downside of capitalism which many people claim is that it only helps the rich get richer, while many are left out in the streets. There’s a disparity in wealth in the one vs. the ninety-nine percent.

But here’s the thing nobody wants to admit- unemployment, homelessness, and a disparity in wealth is going to occur no matter the system, due to the aforementioned fact that the world is not perfect and nothing we create ever will be. Capitalism as a system (despite what most claim) simply keeps the gap between rich and poor smaller than others.

Take, for example, the former Soviet Union. It claimed to be a socialist haven, in which all peoples were equal under the dictatorship of the proletariat (and, to be fair, this was somewhat true; most everyone was equal under Soviet rule- equally poor, that is). In reality, though, what Lenin essentially created was just a more violent version of the Tsarist regime. Eagles and crowns were replaced by the hammer and sickle, white and gold was replaced by blood red, the Tsar and Russian aristocrats were replaced by the “General Secretary” and members of the communist party. It was more or less a rebranding- nothing truly changed for the better, no; if anything, things got worse. Anyone who spoke out against this, though, would be declared a traitor and shot, hung, or sent to the gulag.

Communism doesn’t fix the gap between rich and poor, it just coats the aristocrats in a red paint and points a gun at anyone who would have the gall to say that they’re in crippling poverty (there can be no such thing in the glorious socialist motherland!)

So communism- and, by extension, socialism (which is just communism with a lighter shade of red whether or not anyone wants to admit it), is out of the rankings as a legitimately working system.

Let’s say you still don’t want to accept that capitalism is king…

How about fascism-?

Spoiler alert: fascism sucks.

And I mean that in every way possible.

Sure, it might work in the short term- both Hitler’s German Reich and Mussolini’s Italian Empire went through periods of brief economic & social prosperity in the years after their founding- but it is not in any way a reliable system of economy in the long term, mainly due to the fact that it’s almost always attached to human personality (basically, when the dictator dies, so does the economy); this is what separates a fascist dictatorship from any other kind.

Most other kinds of dictatorships (whether it be communist, militaristic, ultranationalist, etc.) are rooted in something beyond a single person, such as an ideology, a nation, a religion, or any other kind of idea. The Soviet Union was founded in the idea of the proletariat and the eternal revolution, so much so that even when Joseph Stalin established a cult of personality of his own, his death did not cause the end of the Soviet Union, and this is due to the aforementioned fact that the Union was founded upon an idea, not a single person.

Same case with the United States. It was founded in the concepts of freedom, liberty, & justice for all; even if some madman president tried to establish a cult of personality of his own, upon said President’s death, America would most likely remain intact.

Fascist dictatorships are not like this. The moment they’re established, they’re usually established around the idea of raising a nation up to prosperity, yes, but also upon a cult of personality around the person leading the charge (Hitler, Mussolini, etc.)

So, naturally, when the head of such a dictatorship should fall, so will the rest of the nation and its economy along with it (I’d say the Hearts of Iron IV mod The New Order: Last Days of Europe simulates this quite well).

Francisco Franco, dictator of the semi-fascist Spanish State, came to this realization and saw this fate approaching for Spain, and this is why he restored the monarchy and began decentralizing the power structure of Spain as he approached his deathbed- he knew that if he died while he was still at the center, the entire structure would collapse.

Let’s see- communism and fascism are both out of the ranks…

What’s left?

Feudalism? Too ancient. Hunter-Gatherer economy? Too primitive. Mixed economy…? Too naïve.

So, that would mean the only contender left standing would be…

…Capitalism.

How about that?

Adam Smith wasn’t really all that insane after all.

You see, the free market has and always will dominate all other systems, all other ideas, all other forms of economy, simply because giving people the freedom to purchase, the freedom to exchange, the freedom to expand without a litany of rules and regulations reaps results.

Astounding to some, horrifying to others; those trapped within their own little bubble of denial and insanity will never in their life admit such a thing, I’d dare say even at threat of gunfire.

But alas, time will march on without them, for the free market will continue to exist, continue to grow, continue to thrive anyways.

As John D. Rockefeller once stated, “I believe the power to make money is a gift from God.”

I’d have to agree with him there.