Since the time people began trading their possessions and services among one another thousands of years ago, capitalism has flourished.

Capitalism - trading for profit - began long before civilization (cities) came into being. It began when humankind became imaginative (modern man) and began trading possessions they created or found (or stole) with one another to enrich themselves in some way (for profit). Trading is a basic trait of human nature and has been evolving throughout the history of mankind. When people began trading, their bead jewelry, trinkets, weapons, food, other people, or their labor, etc. within the tribes or with other tribes, the seeds of capitalism were sown.

Capitalism took a giant step when farming and ranching were invented and prehistoric civilizations began to form. The lure of profit motivated people to grow food for other people. Another giant step was when money and coinage were invented. These were essential steps in the evolution of capitalism.

Capitalism flourished in Greek, Roman and earlier times as their armies brought home slaves, and other spoils of war to trade. Trading and market economies flourished in these times. The Romans sent ships up the Rhone river in Gaul laden with wine to trade for slaves - this was raw capitalism in action.

Capitalism (trading for profit) created tremendous wealth for these civilizations. Roman patricians benefited greatly from this very narrow form of capitalism as they "traded" their slaves lives for their labor (either work or die). Great cities, roads, acqueducts were built by the wealth created from the labor of their slaves. The capitalists were in total control in those days with little regard for the common people.

Later, long after these great civilizations had collasped, Marco Polo's father and uncle went on a trading mission. They took Marco with them and headed east, into the vast unknown. They "discovered" a new trading partner, China with its vast wealth and trading opportunities.

Years later it was the Portuguese and Spanish, looking for new routes to the Far East, that motivated them to go out and explore the world for new trading opportunities. These adventurer explorers were all entrepreneurial capitalists looking for opportunities to create wealth for themselves and their supporters. Throughout history it has always been these dynamic imaginative people who have made things happen and in doing so created tremendous wealth. They are entrepreneurial capitalists of the world history.

They have evolved into our farmers and ranchers, (the cornerstone of civilization) the miners, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, retailers, service businesses, inventors, investment bankers, commercial bankers, creative innovators, artists, investors, venture capitalists, etc., who help create, trade and sell, their products and services. These are the dynamic power people, who together with the help of their workers and skilled craftsmen, create the wealth of our nation and of the world.

Under the guidance and resources of our government, the capitalists are the source of much of the wealth and the high standard of living we have achieved in this country and also in much of the world. They create the food, tools, machines, products and private infrastructure that we depend upon. They are the people who make things happen.

We all live off the abundance created by the capitalists' imagination and dynamic energy. By levying income and inheritance taxes on the wealth of the capitalists the government is able to provide all sorts of social, military, infrastructure roads, bridges buildings, etc. for the common good of the country.

Karl Marx with his "Communism" ideas failed to understand that if the capitalists were controlled and guided in the right direction that "Capitalism" could do much good. He wanted to destroy the capitalists instead of just benefiting from wealth they produce. This was the fatal flaw of communism. Right now Russia is finally emerging as a capitalist nation. Their people have finally been freed from the yoke of communism and are now embracing capitalism with all its new rewards and dangers. Millions of new capitalists are getting into the act coming up with new ideas, starting new companies trying to create wealth for themselves BUT if the government is wise it will keep a tight grip on their reins but not enough to stifle their efforts.

China, although it is still a communistic dictatorship has enbraced capitalism wholeheartily after seeing what it had done for Hong Kong and Taiwan and is now flourishing.

Although the capitalists are the prime wealth creators of our nation, they are also like a bunch of wild horses - if they are too do any good they must be controlled and guided. If left on their own some of them would tear the country apart, and foul the environment in their quest to make a profit. Some of them would amass great fortunes for themselves while paying their workers as little as possible. Their greed knows no bounds, their primary motives are profits and power. The recent scandals of some of our large corporations has once again shown that the government must keep tight accounting and corporate regulations to keep them fairly honest.

The keyword "deregulation" to the capitalists means greater freedom to make more profits whether it is good for the country or not. Take for example "deregulating" the electrical generating industry has allowed them to make tremendous profits while the country suffers. We need sensible government regulation to keep these capitalists on track so that they are able to create their wealth BUT also have the country benefit too. Enough regulation to keep them on track while allowing stiff competition to keep them on their toes.

Just take the earlier days of America for example: In the southern part of our country the capitalists amassed great fortunes using slave labor to harvest their cotton crops - and they even thought it was their right to do it. Up north in the coal mines and the sweat factories they worked children sixty hours a week and paid as little as possible to all their workers under the worst working conditions. They also fought improving these conditions and wages every step of the way.

It was only after bitter bloody fighting that the slaves were freed and the labor and environment laws passed, alleviating some of these injustices. In some parts of our country these conditions still exist. There are still illegal sweat shops in many places of our country, including California, New York and even over in Saipan using mostly illegal immigrants. In some states they are tearing up the land - surface mining coal, and clear cutting our forests, while good old boy politicians and complicit judges watch and do nothing.

Fortunately our political system has over the years, been able to harness and somewhat control the potent force of these energetic citizens, through the passage labor union and safety laws, child labor laws and environmental laws. The income tax law has redistributed some of their wealth and made our country the richest, strongest nation in the world. If we are to maintain our high standard of living we must make sure we do not stifle the imagination and incentives of these dynamic people while also keeping the reins tight.

Footnote: Recently the right wing (Republican)capitalists were in control of the country - they controlled Congress and Presidency. They passed large income and inheritence tax cuts for the wealthy which simply shifted the nation's debt to the future generations and helped to send the nation's debt spiralling upward.

Don Hamilton is author of - "The MIND of Mankind" - A challenging book that explores the incredible creative powers of Mankind and the mysterious nature of the Universe. Everything humanity has achieved is a result of its "Human Imagination". It created the MIND of Mankind.

Comments from a satisfied reader - "Hello Mr. Hamilton, Just finished your book ... great job! Do you have any other similar books available?? I was looking for information on creation/evolution when I came across your book. This book should  be included in the educational systems of the world ... all ethnic groups could benefit greatly from this writing." - Matt

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