Capitalism and democracy are NOT symbiotic. Democracy parasitizes the market, and does not benefit the market administratively or otherwise. Also, if an election is bought, it is neither capitalism nor democracy. Capitalism uses purchasing power on voluntary transactions (ie not elections), and democracy entails an opportunity for people to have an equal say (ie a vote not a dollar).
You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
Thanks for replying :)
A democratic leader may benefit certain favored market players. So isn't democracy in a capitalist system sidestepping it's ideal and acting as a capital regulating force for said players, and hence the market? Aren't market policies often tailored to suit the elite capitalists?
If an election is bought, it is an oligarchy, a synthesis of the two (if you were to draw a Venn diagram). What I mean to say is that ideally, capitalism and democracy should not be crossing paths the way they do now. My statement was not what they are in an ideal world, but what they are in the real world. People in a democracy do have an equal vote, but we can't put aside variables that influence votes, such as campaigning.
Just my thoughts. I'd love to learn anything more on this!
Oh okay I see it's an "is vs. ought" sort of thing. I agree that both are corrupted by the trappings of one another, although I think government force is the real underlying problem--not capital inequality. Furthermore, I'm not sure symbiosis is the right team to describe a relationship that degrades both participants (capitalism + democracy)... Maybe toxic relationship? That sounds juvenile but hey.
If not seen from the viewpoint of those small elite groups benefiting from the arrangement (the shareholders of multi-billion dollar corporations, the bankers, the 'democratic' leaders), but instead from the general public's point of view, then you are absolutely right. It's a very toxic relationship.
It's that point in time now when a brother needs to step in between, push them apart and tell them to 'Get the f**k away from each other. You guys are SHIT together. Jesus!' :D
I think Democracy is shit on it's own, as well, though.