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WHAT CAPITALISM HAS DONE.

A PLAIN HOME TALK. In reading socialist hooks and papers one gathers the, impression that what is termed capitalism is charged with nearly all the evils mankind is subject to. War, poverty, disease, crime, immorality and other ills are all charged to capitalism. Under the denunciation that has taken place for such a long time we may wonder why this “wicked capitalism” has not gone out of existence. Will at, .after all, is socialism? It is simply the order of society under which men accumulate and use it for the production of more wealth and capital. It is not a system, though often spoken of as such, but just the practice human beings have adopted because they have never found anything better. The savage who held over some flesh, fish or roots for the morrow instead of consuming all at once, took the first step in creating capital. His act of saving provided for future activity in acquiring or producing. Capital is only commority reserved for the production of more commodity. From this it is apparent that man could not progress without capital. In consequence of this fact of nature those who -turned their attention to the supplying of man’s material wants saw the necessity of conserving capital. Capital became of recognised value, just as land and ‘labour is, and where it was used or lent, a return over and above its replacement was required, otherwise there would be no advantage in owing it. This profit, the socialists argue, is what gives the owners of capital power over the rest of humanity and results they add in all the ills above named. As against this view it is held bv many economists that the capitalist owners profit is a power only in so far as it is used for fuithei production and that if therefore goes in general to the added supplying of human wants thus creating progress and human wellbeing. A rational view of this subject is ihat excessive profit will starve the people’s immediate needs and wasteful consumption by a few have the same effect. This the soealists regard as the normal state attaching to capitalism whilst oth■rs maintain that if is abuse due to lie selfishness inherent in many natures whether the persons be oaprnlists or workmen employed for

.rages. Against the tale.of all evils that apitalism is charged with there is he other side of the shield showing he great progress of communities ind States in which the practice ermed capitalism has obtained. OTHER SIDE OF TIIE SHIELD. Thus “The Round Table” of September 1920:—“If we look inIced at what is within the reach of ihe average man to-day and two centuries ago, the change is little short of miraculous. Then be was isolated in a village or a small town, lie could not move about, unless be was prepared to walk, for stage coaches were only for the tew. His knowledge of the world was probably nil unless lie had learnt, to read and write and after that; could borrow the few books, which existed from, richer friends. Ills food was monotonous —the product of his own countryside. He lived, in fact, compared with his fellow today in a physical and meifal cage. I’o-day nothing is easier than for the average man to move irom one end to another of his country, and if he lias even small savings, to the ends of the earth as well. The literature of all ages is his for a few pence, and news-papers enlarge his horizon by giving' him daily news from every corner of the globe. His diet is rich and various, drawn from every latitude, from every continent mnl from every sea.” There is a picture of the progress made under capitalism and it is undoubtedly true. The average workman may consider himself poor but many such are better provided lor than were many of the so called wealthy nobles of past times. it is nowhere denied that capitalism has its defects but with all of these it is beyond question that the rule of private property and enterprise is the most wonderful method of wealth production and the multi pin. ation and cheapening of commodities that has ever been devised. Like all human institutions capitalism is subject to evolutionary law and the standards of to-day arc' very much higher than those of a hundred years ago not merely economically hill, from the standpoint of sentiment and ethical conduet. The extent in which the motive of service is the guiding principle of business in our time is Imt i ou seldom recognised. 'faking a wide view we see that under capitalism the world lias been transformed so that the average person is supplied with commodifies that only rlie -wealthiest could procure and indeed the ordinary workman of to-day has the advantage of services which even the wealthy of past times never had because they were non existent. What capitalism has clone is to multiply and cheapeu supplies as to make numerous thiugs of such common use as even the communist dreamers of olden days never looked for under their formula of “ownership in common." Still with all that has been accomplished there is much remains to be done. With increase of provisions for life is life itself multiplied. Population grows and there are ever more to provide for, business of the capitalist order recognises this and instead, of meeting the position with mere verbiage or dream plans it bends to the task-,of reconstruct-

ion. reform, improvement and advancement. Capitalism, despite all eriticismjs, is essentially eons tractive. We see the mighty things it has j done. What great things, nssoeint ed with science, it is now doing and we can have confidence that it "ill still accomplish wonders in Ihe future. Capitalism has and will become more social in characters, its destruction would he a calamity for the whole human race. (Contributed by the New Zealand Welfare League).

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19240927.2.29

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2790, 27 September 1924, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
995

WHAT CAPITALISM HAS DONE. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2790, 27 September 1924, Page 4

WHAT CAPITALISM HAS DONE. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2790, 27 September 1924, Page 4

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