Are there good alternatives to capitalism?
We can always expect to be surprised in the future by some really clever and disrupting implementation of a new and innovative idea. But until we get there the answer is a resounding "no". There is no better alternative to capitalism. Actually the best alternative to capitalism is Capitalism. What we have right now is Not real capitalism. It is a highly mixed scenario of trying to have your lunch and eat it too. And this appears when a government grows too big and with too many "social programs". Those are the disease and the enslavement of productive men and women for dubious short term results and absolute waste. True Capitalism is all about individual rights not majority rule. It's about meritocracy and not automatic group "social" rights. No one has the right to be happy. The only right we have is to have the freedom to pursuit our own happiness, without hindering anyone else purposefully in the process, and be able to keep what you directly produce. It's about voluntary trade for mutual benefit. And it's definitely not about enslavement. About forcefully taking the results of my production for "social" purposes. Period. In its original true form, this takes the form of unregulated and unlimited free markets. Under the rule of a liberal constitution and the law. It's almost utopia nowadays. Until true Capitalism can be restored, searching for "alternatives" is just meaningless.
Capitalism just doesn't work. But what alternatives do we have?
Capitalism does work for the few who own the means of living (that is the capitalist class), and in practice it can only benefit this class. Obviously the working class have yet to realise that capitalism does not work in their favour.Any proposed alternative would by necessity have to be theoretically viable and by default diametrically opposite economically, politically and socially in form and structure. In effect a classless, moneyless and stateless society based on the Common Ownership of the means of living under the democratic control of the global community. The Socialist Party of Great Britain
Is there a viable alternative to capitalism?
Agrarian societies, bartering, and the feudal system worked for several centuries, although the current level of technology and society could not possibly survive with such primitive methods. Communism/socialism with wise leaders who do not abuse their status and resist temptation, has been known to work on a small scale. "Communes", villages, and even small towns have run on a communist system successfully. Most European nations run on a mix of capitalism and socialism, where free trade and enterprise are encouraged, but a strong social safety net is enforced, and the state manages a number of important resources. As a whole, capitalism in some form or other is the only viable economic system for nations at this time.
Other than communism, what is the alternative to capitalism?
Communitarianism, there is a book by Eltzioni, "The Spirit of Community: Rights, Responsibilities, and the Communitarian Agenda", about it that I manage to read during the Clinton years. Basically, the issues with capitalism are clearly not the lack of incentives, but the lack of connection and the excessive me, me, me mentality. That leads to isolated individuals striving for success. Communitarianism is the conscious effort to develop a community, have a sense of belonging and of cooperation. There are studies by psychologist Martin Seligman, Using the new Positive Psychology that this is one of the main issues that people are not happy: a lack of connection to something apart from ourselves. Some people find that thing greater than themselves in a religion and nationalism, mainly. Others in professional sports, etc. but by and large there is a dearth of connection.Developing a community would come a long way in solving some of the main excesses of capitalism, both in the material sense (by helping people in the community) and the psychological sense (by developing cooperation and belonging).In a way it is a spectrum not only in a political sense but in the sense that nuclear families are quasi-communism, even in capitalistic societies. A century ago, that quasi-communism extended to different degrees to extended families, the parish, or the neighborhood. Thus, it is a spectrum in which we are willing to forgo incentives and competition for a satisfaction of helping and cooperation. The fraction of organized society that varies between those to means of organization has been varying through time with less and less cooperation and more and more competition. But it seems the optimal balance of these two concepts is a bit more towards cooperation as compared to today.Of course, competition in larger sets of people is clearly necessary as has been shown by the consequences of communistic countries, but it is definitely not as clear cut as the political discourse would suggest.
Are there any modern alternatives to capitalism and socialism?
It’s not strictly speaking an alternative nevertheless barbarianism is always a possibility for the future human agenda.Capitalism and socialism are two distinct social relationships or modes of production. The former is production through private ownership of the means of living while the latter through common ownership of the means of living. Although there are many ancient and modern alternatives available they are not strictly “alternatives” in the sense of being a change in the social relationships but rather suggestions on changes in lifestyles.The global community currently have the choice on transforming the present arrangement of capitalism if it so wishes. If or when they do decide to take this revolutionary course they will have considered and deliberated on what type of mode of production is in their interests and also capable of sustaining human need in conjunction with a self-regulating and steady-state economy so the earth’s resources are conserved for the benefit to humans and the planet.It’s pretty obvious capitalism is wasteful, destructive, causes poverty, increases inequality, creates wars, contributes to climate change and pollutes on such a scale that if it is allowed to continue the outcome is likely to be barbarianism.The choice is ours in that we can continue on the present course or we can make a revolutionary change in human direction and change ourselves and the planet for the better, An Inconvenient Question - Socialism and the Environment