So finally after Plato’s discussions, what are YOUR visions of the perfect State (government, I mean)? I’m curious as to what our fellow philosophers on ILP have to say since a recent poll (somewhere on the site) insisted that 54% of some given group voted for capitalism, and 46% for communism. Are these the only two “grand” types of government? Should the State be run by philosophers, as Plato insisted? How should decisions be made–by a council, say 13? 20? 50?–appointed people?
I suppose one could list hundreds of different types of governments. In the end analysis, though, I think the two you referenced are what they all come down to. One holds the individual to be superior to the state, the other holds the state to be superior to the individual. I see it as either/or. The rest – how the state should be run, whether by philosophers or politicians, or what-have-you – is mere detail.
But Marxism aside, how is any individual greater than any state? The whole reasoning behind having a state is to control the individuals to some extent (whether it’s simply to protect property rights). The second the individual is greater than the state is the second that the modern-state disappears and anomie or, more preferablely, anarchy begins.
Also, capitalism is often seen as a purely economic system and for the most part, is compatible with numerous “government” types. And to an lesser extent, the same can be side with Marxism or even communism, although many on the left tend to see economic systems and government systems to be intertwined much more than the average person.
From a Capitalist perspective, an individual’s right to live as he or she sees fit is superior to the “right†the state may claim to tell (or force) that individual how to live. Protecting property rights is merely a defensive act, not an offensive, forceful act against an individual (contrasted with, say, taxation).
Anyway, it’s all been done to death in the other topic where a quick glance at the scoreboard tells me the good guys are now up 21-17!
Since when is greed an animal instinct? all other animals take what they need and no more. Humans are the only animals that are greedy therefore it must be conditioning.
If society as a whole could be restructured so that cooperation rather than competition is stressed then perhaps we can form a utopian society.