My case is, as always, was :

Nobody exists in a vacuum, every one is part of society. Your contributions, be it wealth creation or something else, are also product of the society as a whole. Functional society requires outlays for all individuals in order to continue functioning. As such existence of these outlays, be it in form of taxes, social programs or else is what enables society that enables individuals to be productive.

TL;DR version - if you cut social spending, society that allow you to create wealth will cease to exist in a massive wave of riots and anarchy. You can create wealth only because you are willing (or forced to) share portion of it in order to maintain this society.

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No, current western lifestyle is a result of capitalism. The couple instances of widespread socialism that occurs without demonstrable immediate problems is a result of large energy exports.


Current lifestyle is a result of greater degree of cooperation within population, direct result of more equal and more protected societies we have built. Capitalism isn't new and existed long before our present level of prosperity and quality of life became possible.

Read this - Budget Cuts and Riots

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Once you cut expenditure by more than 2% of GDP, instability increases rapidly in all dimensions, and especially in terms of riots and demonstrations.

Last edited by sinij; 11/17/11 05:23 PM.
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