I've been doing some thinking lately about little-known Austrian economist Joseph Stumperer. I know, most people thinking of Austrian economists think of Ludwig Von Mises or Frederic Hayek. Most people don't think of Austrian economists at all, and the only Hayek they think of is Selma, but I do, and that is my cross to bear. At any rate, Stumperer opined that the logical result of capitalism was socialism, not through revolution but through evolution. He, unlike Marx, felt that over time, capitalism would in effect, peter out, leaving in it's wake some form of socialistic, bureaucratic takeover of the economy. Through it's own success, capitalism would, in effect, kill itself. The entrepeneurs, who are the lifeblood of any free enterprise system, would finally morph into, basically, clerks. After all the good ideas are used up, and there are no more avenues to 'Industrial empires',we will all end up working for the man. He is one of the only economists that I have read who expound on the virtues of socialism that even take human nature into account. He seems to feel that, in the absence of untold riches and wealth, capable people will opt for the security of a steady job. If you can't beat em...join em.
It's an interesting hypothesis, and I look forward to reading more of his work, but in the meantime I wonder. If the logical result of capitalism is socialism, and the result of socialism is, if history has shown us anything, poverty, chaos, and misery. What does that mean for us? Or more importantly, what does that mean for me? No offense, but I don't care much about anything but myself and my family right now. We are, as I'm sure you are, struggling just to make ends meet. But it's a hard, hard world out there, and our problems don't amount to a hill of beans blah blah blah. So where do we go from here?
I know it sounds crazy, but maybe we follow Europe. If you pay attention to the news, you know there is chaos in western europe right now. Riots in the streets, blood on the tracks, and anarchy at the doorstep. This is happening in France because the government is suggesting raising the retirement age from 60 to 62. Really? 2 years is worth burning the nation to the ground? This from a people that couldn't surrender fast enough to the Germans. They gave it up faster than Snooki gave up Jwoww on Jersey Shores, and yet, try to take away their free stuff, and all of a sudden, the French grow a spine. The Greeks are taking to the streets like, well, Greeks take to sheep, all because their government is realizing that there is no pot of gold at the end of the socialist rainbow. The only thing left the morning after this one-night stand is regret, a hangover, and a huge bar tab at the China Lotus.
So several European nations are saying no more. Albeit in quiet, almost apologetic tones. No more can we afford to postpone the bill. The tab needs to be payed. No more rounds for the house. The sad part is, America has been footing the bill for their outrageous entitlement spending since the advent of the cold war, and they're still out of money. We have been protecting them for 60 years, to the point where they can no longer protect themselves. What happens to them if we can no longer afford to be the policeman to the world? Who cares? We all should. If capitalism logically morphs into socialism, and socialism leads to misery, than the only hope for mankind is a third way. What is that way? I don't know, but if it ends in ism, I'm against it. Call it principle, call it stupid, stubborn, or simple-mindedness, but I'm sick and tired of isms, unless it's Anti-ism-ism. Then I'm all for it. When someone comes up with that platform, call me. Until then, I'm out.