Capitalism IS NOT just an economic system—but a moral ideal! The free market is not merely efficient, but also the only system consistent with human nature, individual rights, and God-Given Rights!
True capitalism has never fully existed, and its moral and practical defense has been woefully misunderstood or neglected.
Capitalism is the only system consistent with:
- Man’s nature as created in the image and likeness of God. Along with God Given Natural rights.
- The right to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness
- Voluntary exchange and freedom of association
The proper definition of capitalism is:
“A social system based on the recognition of individual rights, including property rights, in which all property is privately owned.”
Importantly, we must distinguishe capitalism as it ought to be (laissez-faire capitalism) from the mixed economies of the 20th century, which all represent a slow drift toward political/forced/coerced collectivism and statism.
We must make a distinctions between economic power and political power:
- Economic power means the ability to offer values (products, jobs, services) through voluntary exchange.
- Political power is the power to use coercion, often through laws or force.
The only legitimate function of government is to protect individual rights through:
- A military (to protect against foreign aggression)
- A police force (to protect against criminals)
- A judiciary (to resolve disputes)
Beyond that, government should not interfere in markets, regulate industries, or redistribute wealth. Every step beyond this opens the door to tyranny by degrees.
