Destroy Capitalism!

Do you realize what you might lose? Why I think destroying capitalism is a BAD idea.

Turn on the news and you will probably hear at least one person complain that capitalism is evil, and that capitalism is what is wrong with our country today. That capitalism is evil. That money is the root of all evil.

Balderdash!!!

The LOVE of money is the root of all evil. As is gluttony and greed.

Before I go on, let me start with a couple of basics of capitalism:

A DEFINITION: “Capitalism is a system of economic production whereby business owners (capitalists) acquire the means of production (capital) and hire workers who get paid for their labor.” (Important Features of Capitalism)

AND

“Capitalism is defined by private property rights, capital accumulation and re-investment, free markets, and competition.” (Important Features of Capitalism)

So, with those definitions in mind, let me ask you: “Do you OWN anything? A house? A car? A motorcycle?”

If you are one of those people who is declaring capitalism is evil, are you willing to give up what you own?

I’ll tell you right now, I’m NOT! I was raised with the idea of that hard work brings rewards — before the idea that the government programs should help people with food, shelter, and health care.

Today, I want to talk about how I see capitalism and big business helping local communities.

Do you have any idea the role that capitalism and big business play in your individual community?

I’m guessing, if you are like most people, you don’t.

A large number of corporations and businesses contribute money and other resources to the communities where they do business. BUT, most do not brag about their contributions.

How do I know?

Over the years, I have been on the requesting and solicitation end of not-for-profit organizations in the communities where I lived, worked, and raised my family. It was by working behind the scenes and looking for support (especially financial) that I learned just how ready big business was to support community organizations.

In high school, I worked on the school newspaper AND the yearbook. Each organization spent significant time calling various businesses (both small, local stores as well as the large chain style stores and banks) and ask if they would purchase an ad in the newspaper or yearbook.

Yes, the businesses bought advertising space, but the ads generated little business for most of them. Really, how many high school students do you know who would need to employ a blacktop company to re-surface their driveway.

Fast forward several years, seven to be exact.

I landed a job teaching at the single high school in a small, rural town near where I was living. Teaching in the English Department meant that in addition to English courses, I taught public speaking and theater classes.

So, let me ask you, what high school theater teacher does NOT also run the theater productions for the school? AND for the most part, what rural high school has enough of a budget to fund a good production with several students participating? NOT the one I worked for.

Enter “Marketing for High School Students.” I gathered a group of eager-to-participate-in-theater-but-not-on-stage students and had them work on the program which included soliciting local businesses to purchase small or medium sized ads. Within a few weeks, we had the extra money to produce the play.

My sons participated in a local community swim team and in school band, with the oldest also involved in school choir and a local community boys choir. Each of these, as well as the high school sports teams, requested donations for their activity in exchange for an advertisement in the program. The boys choir also had both anonymous donors and donors who were listed by the various incremental amounts they gave to the organization.

When I moved from Illinois to Tennessee and got involved in a community orchestra, we sold ads and solicited donations from local businesses, big and small.

In addition to donating to various community events, activities, and organizations, in many cases, it is big business that takes smaller local business start-ups under their wings and helps them grow profitable.

Cut down capitalism and big business, and the monetary support for your community and small, local entrepreneurs will disappear.

I’m not willing to see that happen, are you?

Yes, I agree that there are greedy top business executives earning 6-figure monthly or yearly incomes.

Yes, I agree that there are business owners that are out of touch with reality, that don’t pay their employees a livable wage, or that don’t seemingly value their employees.

BUT,

to say that is typical, that it is true of ALL businesses and corporations is WAY OFF THE MARK.

What I see, unfortunately —

When people look at how much a business or corporation bring in, what I don’t see is the understanding that what they see is the gross income is — before taxes, before rent or paying on the loan to build the facility, before utilities, before supplies, and before insurance.

You see, for a short while (2013–2016), we ran our own small, independent trucking company. My husband was the driver, and I was his secretary. No one else. But it opened my eyes to the hidden costs and headaches of running a business.

We need to, as a society, stop seeing just the evils of the few in both big and small business and seek to discover the ACTUAL role those businesses play in each and every community.

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Rebecca Writes The articles and comments in Rebecca Writes relate to living in this crazy world. Articles about being a parent and grandparent to traveling to relationships to education to health and wellness to being a decent human being — and beyond.

Rebecca (Becky) spent 34 years in a teaching career, but when she retired in 2014, she picked up her pen and pursued her passion to write. As a high school English teacher, Becky held the philosophy that she wouldn’t give any writing assignment that she personally wouldn’t or couldn’t do. That philosophy strengthened and broadened her own writing.

In addition to publishing her writing on various platforms, Becky also blogs at Life is for Living, a blog to encourage, motivate, and help others live the best life possible. As an extension of Life is for Living, she also publishes a weekly newsletter, Let’s Chat. (Check it out HERE.) Life is for Living also has a social media presence with the group Coffee on my Porch. (Check it out HERE.)

After teaching writing for 34 years, Becky began Ink & Keyboard, a blog for writers at all levels. She supplements what she writes on the blog with a subscription newsletter, The Writer’s Notebook (Check it out HERE.), the social media group Ink & Keyboard (Check it out HERE.), and a Medium publication Ink & Keyboard (Check it out HERE.).

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