Capitalism 101

There has been a lot of talk about just what is it that has failed and caused this terrible economic crisis. And a lot of mis-understanding, and ignorance and denial of history. This is an open invitation to everyone who is willing, and open, to a conversation about this. There IS such a thing as Truth. It CAN be known. And we CAN know it. Let's all find it together, ok? I'll begin with this:
Free-Market Capitalism is the mature realization and recognition of the preciousness of the freedom and individuality of each and every person, and the absolute knowledge that in order to safeguard and secure your own happiness and contentment, you must safeguard and work to secure the ability of others to pursue their own. It is the distilled knowledge that the best way to act in the public interest is to act in enlightened SELF-INTEREST! More than a BILLION people worldwide have enjoyed increasing freedom, liberty, and prosperity in the last century due to even small-scale application of these principles.
Socialism is the admission of, and resignation to, failure. It is the un-natural imposition of the idea that you are selfish unless you subordinate your every act to the pre-supposed wisdom of those that guide and shepherd the people as a whole. You are a cog on the wheel... a brick in the wall... you are expendable and if you are deemed to be acting in self-interest, you will be accused of acting against the public interest, and force will be applied against you. More than 100 MILLION people were deliberately starved and murdered in the last century by socialist governments due to application of these flawed principles. This is undisputed fact.
Free-Market Capitalism is the only system of human interaction that is grounded in an understanding of human nature and respect for individual rights. It is the fruition of thousands of years of experimentation in human interaction. It is the only system that states absolutely that every man is the sole owner of himself. You are not property, to be owned, sold, or used by anyone but yourself. And it follows that the fruits of your justly earned labor, and capital implemented, are your property, to be used, spent, hoarded... whatever you choose. They are yours... absolutely. YOU are the capital. And YOU own it and control it. And whether you put it in play or not is your business.
Every other system that has been tried so far has held that, to some degree, you do NOT own yourself, and you owe some or all of your time, services, even your very person and life, to your king, emperor, lord, society, general, president, etc. Nothing you ever do or create is ever truly yours, because you, yourself, are not truly yours. This is un-natural... it goes against human nature, and is abhorrent to any rational being, which is why, though they may. in their ignorance, desire it, and fight for its' implementation, eventually the horrors of its' obvious conclusions drive people to reject it. Unfortunately, usually by that time it's too late.
It is a testament to the viability and durability of Free-Market Capitalism that it has been able to flourish and create such vast wealth even after 100 years of being crippled and maimed by socialism, dragging the chains and anchors and harpoons of government restriction and tithing along in the process.