[kenko]

> When you present people with an economic system that does have a social-utilitarian purpose, those people will select capitalism over it on the basis that capitalism is better at fulfilling that purpose.

No one has ever offered people that choice, as far as I know, certainly not in a way that wouldn't in many cases be confounded by rational or irrational attachment to the present mode of social organization. (And in fact plenty of people seem to like social democracies just fine. And, for that matter, plenty of people seem to want socialist or communist modes of social organization.)

[eru]

> (And in fact plenty of people seem to like social democracies just fine. And, for that matter, plenty of people seem to want socialist or communist modes of social organization.)

Plenty of people seem to want more socialism for the country they live in, but given the choice many move to countries that have less socialism. (Ie richer countries.)

[Daishiman]

This is a non-sequitur. Most wealthy countries have economies that are extremely well regulated, and their effectiveness is much more conditioned to factors beyond regulation. Scandinavia has very high levels of regulation and is one of the wealthies regions in the world and the one with the highest standard of living.

[Retra]

Well, that's why you have to argue against capitalism. If you don't present any alternatives, you won't know that they're worse than the way things are. There are important things that it doesn't do well, and we have enough information to know that.