Capitalism and socialism

Press, 27 October 1980, Page 16

Capitalism and socialism

Sir, — The cornerstone of the arguments seeking to justify capitalism and “free enterprise” is the word “free.” Those who see socialism as the necessary end-result of capitalism’s evolution, recognise that capitalism’s “freedom” must inevitably establish a polarised class structure and thereby destroy this same “freedom.” This “freedom” must contain the seeds of exploitation and “might is right.” E. S. Draw (October 24) refers to "the wrong type of history”; wrong indeed for those who have risen to the' top of capitalism’s stratified structure. A. Stancliff’s remarks (October 23) on capitalist ethics are quite incomprehensible. Manv would doubt the existence of capitalist ethics per se. And S. Russell’s justification of capitalism and “individual freedom” (October 24) seems to be based on mystic principles. One might recall some words of Lenin: “Man's intelligence may be only a feeble rushlight in the darkness .. . . but I am not going to let the flickering flame be blown out by mystics and metaphvsicians.” — Yours, etc., K. FEA. October 24, 1980.