2 Comments

One effective way to promote capitalism could be telling more success stories (startup founders, creators of all kinds, etc) in a way that is _relatable_. This gets to the heart of enlightened self-interest and makes it very clear that such stories wouldn't be possible under the alternative system.

But then again, no matter how much opportunity there is, some people will always be left behind for many reasons — one of them is sheer luck. And they will always feel that the system is unfair. So another strategy to make sure that the worst (think 1918 in Russia) would not happen is to ensure a proper safety net and prevent inequality from getting too much out of control.

On a related note: you might be interested in this blog post that explores what metrics other than GDP we might want to measure and regularly report on: https://max2c.substack.com/p/the-national-dashboard-and-human

Expand full comment

I agree without robust private enterprise, there would not be a strong tax base to support the government. But is it not a two way street? Why do corporations and CEOs not give credit to the government for creating the environment for their success? Do CEOs owe nothing for the benfit of operating a company in a rules based society, with strong property and contract protection laws, unbiased courts, a well functioning capital market? Do compannies not owe thanks to the government for educating many of the employees that allow their companies to function and compete?

Expand full comment