Question

10. Can capitalism and democracy co-exist?

a. How has the internet reshaped our democracy? How can it?

b. How can corporations be obliged to have a stake in the sharing of their power, and in the social   

     quality of their services?

Answer 1

CAPITALISM AND DEMOCRACY

It is normal that where there is democracy, capitalism is also there. However both are quite opposite and totally contradictory in principal to each other as capitalism purpose is to serve one’s self and democracy’s purpose is to serve others or people. Capitalism encourages competition and rivalry for personal gains but democracy is supposed to encourage togetherness and is meant to take care of all people equally. Further problem in a mix setup of capitalism and democracy is that, though politicians who will run the government will be chosen by the people through voting to work unselfishly for the country and the people however they all will be driven by capitalism’s selfishness to gain and profit for one’s self, their family and their party.

This is because their personal earnings will determine their family’s prosperity, comfort and wellbeing. Therefore whatever you may say preach or advocate still everyone will give preference to their family first, as they are solely responsible for their family and their wellbeing. For everyone’s family is the only thing that is supposed to be theirs in the whole world and it is their family who loves them and who will take care of them when they are weak, sick or are in trouble. Therefore it becomes quite natural for everyone to give preference to one’s own self or to their family before anything else.

Therefore when personal gain becomes most important for each politician therefore to have money is all that matters. The means through which you earn that money does not matter and if you earn that money in legal way or in illegal way does not matter. Also anything is counted as illegal or a crime only if people are caught and proven by legal process otherwise it does not matter. Also to earn money, all methods are counted as right and fair by capitalism as it preaches that you should use all opportunities that arise to gain from it which the business people, the politicians or rulers of every country do.

Then people, who want to earn unlimited money and to become famous, see ample opportunity in politics. Democracy or politics then just becomes another type of career or just other medium to earn easy money, to get good pay and perks.

Being a politician is the easiest way to make huge amount of money. All you need is good acting, you should be a good organizer, good manipulator, a very good hypocrite, you should be able to smile when people curse you or even if they shout at you and call you all kinds of name and still if you can remain smiling then this is a career you want to opt for. If you are ready to bow and fall at any person’s feet, because they are powerful and you need their support then you will succeed in this career. You should not get attached to anyone because you will have to back stab them when the time comes. This is all you need in this profession, you need no other talent, no education, no capital, no resources, and there are no loses only profits. That is why democracy has become a good means to earn money instead of it being a means to serve people.

Further all law enforcers, administrators, judges, all bureaucrats, military, police and all officers, who have got their jobs because of their education, training and because they have passed all kind of exams, interviews and tests will now fall under the command of those selfish, wrong, incapable, untrained and visionless politicians who are now elected members of government and therefore are now above them or are now their boss. They will now give order to those police, military and to bureaucrats who are well educated, well trained and have passed many exams and all this will happen because of democracy.

Politicians may not have the capacity, ability and desire to give good governance or may not have vision to develop the country, or they may not be able to build right and cooperative atmosphere among its citizens, or they may not have the vision to build the needed infrastructure or may not have the right kind of ability to solve the problems of people or work for the future of their constituency, state or the country. Still democracy makes them rulers. The consequences of this are that people and whole nation have to suffer