Before we get to the capitalism quotes, let us ask you: Is capitalism perfect? Not remotely. But that begs a follow-up question: Are people perfect?
One can argue that communism, which holds that people would be better off without greed, is better than capitalism. One can also argue that people would be better off if they were able to fly. According to the communist’s logic, that would mean we had better begin pushing people off of rooftops.
Enemies of capitalism are quick to point out that it is an imperfect system, yet also advocate for an even more imperfect system to take its place. They want to remove people who are rewarded by production from the economy, and replace them with people who are rewarded by controlling others. The former will put food on the table; the latter will put people in gulags.
Who are capitalism’s greatest enemies? I count three. The first are politicians, who see capitalism as an obstacle separating them from their citizens’ wealth. That wealth also insulates their citizens from the politicians’ influence, which must surely stick in the craw of any would-be tyrants.
The second are businesspeople themselves, who look to the government as their ultimate ace in the hole when it comes to beating competition. If an elite corps of producers can make itself the communist politicians’ key supporter, then they can compel legislation which puts their rivals out of business.
The third are people who cannot fathom what it might be like to possess marketable skills. They look at the wealthy with contempt, believing they could only have gotten that way through chicanery and exploitation. In fairness, plenty of crooks ascend to the highest rungs of society, but this conveniently ignores everyone who made their money by contributing something useful to the world. This is an ability communists seldom, if ever, possess.
For the sake of expediency, we could also divide communists into just two classes: Those who insist real communism has never been implemented and demand that we finally give it a chance, and those who know exactly what kind of nightmare world communism creates and want you to live in it.
Who is Ayn Rand? Born to a middle class Russian-Jewish family in 1905, Rand was treated to a front row seat to the wonders of communism in action. Rand fled with her family to the Crimea following the “liberation” of her father’s pharmacy but ultimately returned to Saint Petersburg where she could attend university when she wasn’t busy starving. Due to her life experiences, Ayn Rand quotes are some of the most thought-provoking in the world.
Have you ever wondered why socialism doesn’t work? Socialism quotes won’t explain human nature or teach you economics, but they will put you on the right track.
An Austrian School economist, Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises devoted much of his life to writing and educating on the subject of classical liberalism. While several classical libertarians including John Locke and Jean-Baptiste Say preceded him, Mises’ revival of the ideology following the Second World War has cemented his place as one of libertarianism’s most revered figures.
Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand’s great treatise on Objectivism, individualism, and reason. Don’t have time to read it? Check out the best Atlas Shrugged quotes here.