Pathfinder-A+Comparison+of+Communism+and+Capitalism

Glossary page Related Information [|Sirs Knowledge Source]

=Introduction:= The beginning of the rise of global trade in medieval Europe, heralded an unprecedented growth of wealth, territory, and resources for western nations. Much of this growth is attributed to technological growth and capitalism, a system, as Karl Marx(19th Century social theorist, economist, and philosopher) pointed out, pockmarked with flaws and paradoxes. When Communism collapsed in the 20th century-- after its meteoric rise one hundred years earlier-- pro-capitalists touted its demise as a sure sign of capitalism's triumph. Yet as some scholars note, capitalism has not 'won' in the sense that it has not provided the cure for many global problems. In fact some would argue that capitalism has only exacerbated these.

This pathfinder allows a researcher to find out just what exactly is communism/socialism, and capitalism, what are the distinguishing features and problems of both economic systems, what are some influential thinkers on the topic, and finally parecon (participatory economics) which may serve as an alternative to our current day dichotomy of capitalism vs. communism/socialism.

As a side-note, the information presented on this page contain multiple viewpoints and arguments, it is up to the researcher to know and distinguish fact from rhetoric, truth from fiction, and reality from ideology.

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= = =Introduction to Communism/socialism:= Title: [|Approaching Socialism] Author: Harry Magdoff and Fred Magdoff Publication Date: July/Aug. 2005 Database: SIRS Researcher Search term: Karl Marx AND Capitalism Annotation: Introduces to reader different types of economic systems, particularly socialism, the article also cites numerous examples of old economic systems which were un-capitalistic, but which served its population just as well.

Title: [|communism] Author: n/a Publication Date: 2004 Database: SIRS Renaissance Subject heading: [|Communism] Search term: communism Annotation: Gives definition of what communism is

=Introduction to Capitalism:= ////Title: [Regents Prep Global History] Economic Systems: Introduction Website name: Oswego City School District Regents Exam Prep Center URL: http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/economic/index.cfm Database: Sirs WebSelect Subject Heading (Sirs Webselect database): [|Capitalism] Annotation: Article found through Sirs Webselect using the above subject headings. This article is useful because it gives background information on numerous forms of economies. It's easy to read and simple to understand. Take special note of the link 'Global Trade'

=Influential Thinkers:= ////Title: [|Economics 3LL3 -- Smith] Website name: McMaster University Department of Economics URL: [|http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/smith/index.html] Subject heading: [|Economic history], [|Economics], [|Economists], [|Eighteenth century], [|Smith, Adam (1723-1790)], [|Wealth of Nations (Book)] Database: Sirs WebSelect Navigation: WebSelect * by topic/subtopic * [|Business] > [|Economics]> Economists > Adam Smith Annotation: Contains Smith's works including the //Wealth of Nations//

Title: [|Marx, Karl Heinrich] Source: The Hutchinson Dictionary of Ideas Author: na Publication Date: 2004 Database: SIRS Renaissance Subject heading: [|Marx, Karl (1818-1883)] Search term: Karl Marx + Political Theorist Annotation: Outlines a brief yet useful timelime of Marx's life

////Title: [|Economic Manuscripts: Capital: Volume One] Website name: Marxists Internet Archive URL: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1867-c1/ Database: Sirs WebSelect Subject heading: [|Communism], [|Economics], [|Kapital (Book)], [|Marx, Karl (1818-1883)], [|Money], [|Philosophy, Marxist], [|Socialism] Search term: Das Kapital Annotation: This website contains volume 1: Das Kapital, broken up by chapters and sections.

=Distinguishing Features and Problems of Both=

__Communism__
Title: [|What Is Left of Socialism] Author: Leszek Kolakowski Publication Date: Oct. 2002 Database: SIRS Renaissance Search term : socialism + karl marx Annotation: A strong critique of socialism and Karl Marx's theories.

Title: [|The Godlessness That Failed] Author: Michael Novak Publication Date: June/July 2000 Database: SIRS Renaissance Search term: communism Annotation: An article on the effect Communism has on the human soul. Contains little to no factual evidence but presents an interesting viewpoint nevertheless.

__Capitalism**__
Title: [|Why the Poor Don't Soak the Rich] Author: Ian Shapiro Publication Date: Winter 2002 Database: SIRS Researcher Search term: Capitalism AND downward redistribution Annotation: An analysis of why there is so much inequality in capitalistic societies. The author writes in the starting paragraph: "To ask why there is so much inequality in modern-day democracies is to ask a loaded question.1 Why should we expect there to be less?" An excellent article, I consider this one essential for your research

Title: [|The Immorality of Redistribution] Author: Harold B. Jones, Jr. Publication Date: March 2006 Database: SIRS Researcher Search term: Redistribution + medicaid Annotation: This article analyzes and argues against redistribution (this term is used frequently in the above article: Why the Poor Don't Soak the Rich) programs i.e. welfare systems, social security. Here's an interesting paragraph: //"It has been proposed that government assistance programs like prescription drugs should be provided only to those who earn less than a certain income. The fate of such a policy can be predicted from what has happened to Medicaid. Intended to provide medical care for the poor, Medicaid has become "inheritance protection for the children of well-off seniors."1 No retirement plan is complete without a scheme for hiding assets and income in order to qualify for Medicaid. A means test for other benefits will lead to a vast expansion of the "elderlaw" industry and to ever-more ingenious schemes for concealing wealth."//

Title: [|The Corporation] Author: Joel Bakan Publication Date: Nov. 2004 Database: SIRS Researcher Search term: The Corporation Navigation: Sirs WebSelect > //Enter: The Corporation// > //Click 'magazines'// > The Corporation Annotation: This is an excerpt from the book //The Corporation// by the same author. It analyzes the corporation's rise to global dominance, the definition of a corporation, the corporation's influence in government policies, and what these influences hold for the rest of the world. Note that corporations have become a modern day fixture of capitalism, so therefore to understand modern capitalism one would need to understand the role corporations play.

////Title: [|The Moral Basis of Capitalism] Website name: Center for the Advancement of Capitalism URL: [|http://www.moraldefense.com/] Database: Sirs WebSelect Search term: capitalism Navigation: Enter 'capitalism' > Click 'WebSelect sites' > Center for the Advancement of Capitalism > Click 'Philosophy' > Click 'The Moral Basis of Capitalism' Annotation: This web source gives a moral reason for the existence and propagation of capitalism, the author writes: "Capitalism is the only moral social system because it is the only system that respects the freedom of the producers to think and the right of the individual to set his own goals and pursue his own happiness."

=Parecon (Participatory economics):= Title: [|Towards Life After Capitalism: An Introduction to Participatory...] Author: Michael Albert Publication Date: Sept./Oct. 2005 Database: SIRS Researcher Search term: Parecon Annotation: This article provides both a harsh critique of capitalism as well as an intro to an alternative economic system called participatory economics, or parecon for short.

////Title: Welcome to ZNet Website name: ZNet URL: http://www.zmag.org/parecon/indexnew.htm Database: Sirs WebSelect Subject headings: participatory economics Annotation: This website contains many articles, interviews, information, etc. on parecon. It is an excellent source for a broad range of information on parecon.