I have just added a link from this blog to my blog. I am not a Christian but I am enjoying your posts.

Capitalism collapses if we are not greedy, it is a system that encourages greed, the Nobel prize winning economist Elinor Ostrom has done some excellent work on the commons, forms of economics based on social sharing and community.

Of course there is room for theological discussion but we need economic systems that don’t depend on the worst aspects of human behaviour

any way thanks for the blog

I do agree though that our culture shapes and reinforces our thinking and that capitalism is no different. It certainly has a downside. One question would be: what alternative do you suggest?

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” — Matthew 6:24

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” — 1 Timothy 6:10

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” — Colossians 3:5

I think we agree on this. But is the capitalist system itself at fault, or rather is it the human heart which is at fault?

Would people stop being greedy in alternative systems, e.g. communism, feudalism or whatever. Evidently, greed was a problem in Bible times, well before Adam Smith was born. Perhaps capitalism encourages greed more than other systems, but I am not convinced.

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“In other words, if people aren’t chasing after the latest fashion or the newest gadget, then everything grinds to a halt.”

The word “gadget” possibly implies something fancy, but trivial. But consider that we are talking via the internet, on computers. This is all relatively new. The fact that most people have computers whereas they didn’t only 20 years ago means that the economy must have grown in that time. Is that wrong?

Of course, many people spend money on trivial things, but that is the problem with humanity, rather than capitalism. If people want noble things, e.g. things to help them keep in touch with relatives, books to help them grow in knowledge and wisdom, etc, then the market will produce these. The market responds to human demand. While people are sinful, there will be demand for rubbish, whoever owns the means of production.

Our “socialised” health service responds to human demand, and pays for abortion, IVF, and some cosmetic surgery, as well as lifesaving treatments.

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“As a result, millions, if not billions, of pounds are spent on advertising that tries to convince us that our lives will be complete if only we had whatever product they happen to be selling.”

There are objectionable adverts. But I think many adverts are not offering as grand as complete lives. Most offer fairly un-objectinable things, e.g. this is slightly cheaper, more comfortable, safer, quicker, than rivals.