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We’ve come here today to provide an answer to the great question: to compete, or to cooperate? As
such, my philosophy is that cooperation is superior to competition as a means of achieving excellence.
What is the heart of the clash between competition and cooperation? In its truest and purest form, it is
the conflict between capitalism and socialism, the ultimate competition, and the ultimate cooperation.
When it comes down to it, do we want to be competing, or do we want to be cooperating? I’ll give you
the answer in 4 steps. But first, let’s start with some definitions.
Socialism: “a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of
production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”
(Oxford American Dictionaries, 2010)
True Socialism: Communalism.
Communalism: “the principle or practice of living together and sharing possessions and
responsibilities” (Oxford American Dictionaries, 2010)
“I think that the only way to be honest and expose yourself to criticism is to state clearly and
dogmatically where you are. You must take the risk and have a position.” Zizek 04
Will Malson Capitalism Bad; Poverty Page 2 of 5
“I think that the only way to be honest and expose yourself to criticism is to state clearly and
dogmatically where you are. You must take the risk and have a position.” Zizek 04
Will Malson Capitalism Bad; Poverty Page 3 of 5
“I think that the only way to be honest and expose yourself to criticism is to state clearly and
dogmatically where you are. You must take the risk and have a position.” Zizek 04
Will Malson Capitalism Bad; Poverty Page 4 of 5
STEP 3: SOCIALISM SOLVES POVERTY; CAPITALISM DOES NOT. Socialist Labor Party of
America 06
Socialist Labor Party of America, "SOCIALISM—ITS MEANING AND PROMISE", A Socialist Labor
Party Statement, 2006, http://www.socialistlaborparty.com/res_state_htm/socialism_m_p.html (HEG)
An End to Poverty In all previous ages of human history, poverty for most of the people was
inescapable. There was simply not enough to go around. But not so today. Industrial technology and
scientific knowledge have so vastly increased our ability to produce what we need and want that there is
no longer any excuse whatsoever for the poverty of a single member of society. Today we have the
material possibility of abundance for everyone, and the promise of the leisure in which to enjoy it. But
under capitalism industrial technology is used to replace workers and increase profits. Instead of
creating a society of abundance, capitalism uses machinery to create unemployment and poverty. Our
inner cities have been converted largely into festering slums in which impoverished people, not
understanding the cause of their miseries, are imprisoned and damned to a life of misery. It is not
technology that threatens us. By themselves, improved methods of production and distribution are not
social evils. They could be a blessing, but under capitalism technology is used for antisocial purposes.
This follows from the fact that technology and industry are the exclusive property of a small minority of
the American people—the capitalist class. Capitalism uses the industries for the private profit of their
owners and not for the benefit of the vast majority of the American people—the workers who invented
and built them.
“I think that the only way to be honest and expose yourself to criticism is to state clearly and
dogmatically where you are. You must take the risk and have a position.” Zizek 04
Will Malson Capitalism Bad; Poverty Page 5 of 5
In conclusion, the choice before you today is thus: to embrace capitalism with competition or socialism
with cooperation. With capitalism comes the retrenchment of a poverty state with no hope of recovery.
With socialism comes the very heart of recovery and opportunity to the poor that capitalism inherently
lacks. Thank you.
“I think that the only way to be honest and expose yourself to criticism is to state clearly and
dogmatically where you are. You must take the risk and have a position.” Zizek 04