I've said similar things before, but I'm feeling like "capitalism" is used both to mean "fluid competition" and also "its natural end-state, entrenched monopoly" (or "whatever people with money want") and I almost want different words for those things.
Like, the recent problems with the EU trying to close VAT loopholes between different countries. I think the basic concept of trying to tax companies which are big enough to invest in ways to cheat the system equally with those that don't is a good one. But in doing so, effectively shutting down all micro-businesses because they have to pay thousands of times more in time and energy dealing with VAT regulations for all EU countries than they make in profit, is a bad thing.
That latter is a case where capitalism was doing great -- person A had a thing, person B paid for it, it was good for everyone... and then the government shut it down. It actually fits a stereotypical libertarian nightmare of "government taxes things so much they don't work any more". I've actually shifted more towards that position! It would be surprising if regulation was ALWAYS the right amount or ALWAYS too little or too much. But I'm shifting more towards saying "on average we need significantly less capitalism, but there's definitely ways we need more capitalism".
That might be a better explanation of why I think of myself as socialist, but still uncomfortable with saying I'm "anti-capitalist" without further qualification?
Like, the recent problems with the EU trying to close VAT loopholes between different countries. I think the basic concept of trying to tax companies which are big enough to invest in ways to cheat the system equally with those that don't is a good one. But in doing so, effectively shutting down all micro-businesses because they have to pay thousands of times more in time and energy dealing with VAT regulations for all EU countries than they make in profit, is a bad thing.
That latter is a case where capitalism was doing great -- person A had a thing, person B paid for it, it was good for everyone... and then the government shut it down. It actually fits a stereotypical libertarian nightmare of "government taxes things so much they don't work any more". I've actually shifted more towards that position! It would be surprising if regulation was ALWAYS the right amount or ALWAYS too little or too much. But I'm shifting more towards saying "on average we need significantly less capitalism, but there's definitely ways we need more capitalism".
That might be a better explanation of why I think of myself as socialist, but still uncomfortable with saying I'm "anti-capitalist" without further qualification?