09.12.06
Bringing Down Walls with Mocha Chai Lattes
Capitalism in the Former East Berlin, originally uploaded by fboosman.
The wall closing off East Berlin from the world has long since been torn down, and the effects of the entrance of capitalism are very apparent. West and East Berlin provided a vivid portrait of the contrast between capitalism and communism. While West Berlin was a prosperous center of business and trade, East Berlin was a destitute, rubble-filled shell of a city filled with oppressed and frightened people. The difference can be well seen in the difference between the two sides of the Wall: the western side being brightly painted and the eastern side remaining an untouched off-white. When the wall fell and Germany was reunited, not only was East Berlin open to the wealth of West Berlin, but to the wealth of the world. Though, out of tradition, certain socialist philosophers are still honored in Germany, the effects of globalization can be seen as foreign wealth enters Germany and changes eastern Berlin from the squalid wreck it was under communist rule to the bright commercial center it is today.
A common misconception about capitalism is that one man’s gain is another man’s loss. The goal of global capitalism is not to create one dominating super power, but to level the playing field and develop third world countries with first world capital. With the disappearance of oppression in the marketplace, oppression in society will disappear as well. Through international business, social issues are solved. Look at what globalization has done for India and China already. As capitalism spreads through the world and countries develop, people begin to recognize their individual rights and pressure their government to allow them the freedom they need to be successful in business and happy in life. Economic freedom and social freedom go hand in hand. Through the power and influence of international business, governmental oppression will disappear by the will of those who wish to join the world economy.
The simple truth is this: the wealthiest countries have historically been capitalist countries. When people turn to capitalism, their standards of living instantly improve. The beneficial effects of globalization are being demonstrated already in impoverished parts of the world as they become wealthier and their economies become more efficient. Areas where famine once killed so many now have plenty because of the free market and widespread exchange of goods. On that note, ask yourself: how many famines have there been under a capitalist system?
Pedablogy: Musings on the Art & Craft of Teaching » Blog Archive » Liftoff in the Seminar? said,
September 12, 2006 at 9:22 pm
[...] Only a few of the posts were substantive, involving globalization. See for example, the ones by Hart and Katie (who used one of her personal photos after uploading it to flickr). I plan to respond to such posts with what I hope to be thought and discussion provoking questions. [...]
flyingflamingos said,
September 13, 2006 at 2:48 pm
I really enjoyed your post and agreed with a lot of what you said. But I think its interesting that you made the piont that ecconomic and social freedom go togehter, because while often that is the case (as with China and the former USSR), and whereas the two philosophies developed simotaneuoslly, historiclly the two have often conflicted. For instance, look to the industrial revolution in the Uninted States, where corperations gained so much power that they essentially owned the government. What happens when our government becomes neccessarily attached to international corperations. Is it really conductive to democracy when the rich have more power than the poor. And while I agree with you that capitalism increases the standard of living, it also lends itself to the perpetuation of an increased gap betwean the rich and the poor, as can be seen most clearlly in Reaganomics and the current ecconomic policies of the Bush administration. Capitalism has its kinks that have the strong possibility of creating havoc not conducive to government authority. For instance, the affects of free market ecconomies in which African nations have been at the mearcy of large corperations has essentially led to destruction of the African ecconomy. So while I agree with your basic piont, I think that the regulation of buissiness is an important factor to bring into the debate, and an important question of the future is how to internationally regulate it.