…against leftist idiots. This always seemed like a strange thesis to me:
Perhaps even more bizarrely, a few people in the comments are citing China as an example of how capitalism undermined democracy. Apparently I missed the section in history class where we covered the vibrant democracy that existed in China prior to pro-market reforms. Because in the history I learned, the openness and transparency required to support the market reforms have enabled what little movement towards liberalization China has had.
I think that a lot stronger case can be made that democracy undermines capitalism than the reverse. Once people get the ability to vote to take wealth from one and give to another, capitalism, which consists of voluntary exchange, is severely weakened and diminished.
Not to imply, of course, that either thesis is an argument against either democracy or capitalism.
It’s a shame that the 5th Amendment’s takings clause has been so pathetically enforced by the Courts. The Constitution can give you every right in the world, but only actual political vigilance can enforce them.
Meanwhile, the hoops you have to go through to deprive a murderer or serial rapist of life or liberty only seem to get higher and higher.
Not to mean protecting life or liberty should ever get short shrift, but it’s certainly illustrative of the Government’s priorities. Since indentured servitude has been outlawed there’s no benefit to politicians in taking those.