Capitalism is simply what happens when the free-market system exists, i.e., when a state of liberty exists. What you're thinking of in using the misnomer "capitalism" is rather the mixed economy, i.e., mercantilism. The mixed economy is noxious precisely because of its collectivist elements.
What makes socialism the most mass-murderous philosophy ever conceived is precisely because it puts all power into the most mass-murderous organization to ever exist, i.e., the state. The liberal solution is to disempower the state, rather than empowering it as the collectivists do.
For how the free market can exist and indeed flourish without the aggression, disharmony and anarchy of the state, via private-protection agencies on a competitive market, see the below vital articles concerning the nature of government, of liberty, and the free-market production of defense:
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Prof. Murray N. Rothbard, "The Anatomy of the State", Rampart Journal of Individualist Thought, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1965), pp. 1-24, https://mises.org/system/tdf/rampart_summer1965_2.pdf?file=1&type=document , https://webcitation.org/6ZvAbaX8z , http://www.freezepage.com/1447053835DURFWXQOPM . Reprinted in a collection of some of Rothbard's articles, Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature and Other Essays (Washington, DC: Libertarian Review Press, 1974), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Egalitarianism%20as%20a%20Revolt%20Against%20Nature%2C%20and%20Other%20Essays_2.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6XfwvbslB .
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Murray N. Rothbard, Ch. 1: "Defense Services on the Free Market", pp. 1-9 in id., Power and Market: Government and the Economy (Kansas City: Sheed Andrews and McMeel, Inc., 1977; orig. pub. 1970), https://wayback.archive.org/web/20040720094416/http://www.mises.org/rothbard/power&market.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve3w5w9a , http://www.freezepage.com/1447054194BCBULVTSAX .
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Prof. Hans-Hermann Hoppe, "The Private Production of Defense", Journal of Libertarian Studies, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Winter 1998-1999), pp. 27-52, https://mises.org/sites/default/files/14_1_2_0.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve41VasQ .
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Hans-Hermann Hoppe, "Fallacies of the Public Goods Theory and the Production of Security", Journal of Libertarian Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Winter 1989), pp. 27-46, https://mises.org/sites/default/files/9_1_2_0.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve485kNf .
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Prof. David D. Friedman, Ch. 29: "Police, Courts, and Laws--on the Market", pp. 114-120 in id., The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism (La Salle, Ill.: Open Court Publishing Co., 1989; orig. pub. 1971), http://daviddfriedman.com/Libertarian/Machinery_of_Freedom/MofF_Chapter_29.html , https://webcitation.org/5ve4A6KFZ , https://archive.is/I1mt4 .
Concerning the ethics of human rights, the below book is the best book on the subject:
- Murray N. Rothbard, The Ethics of Liberty (New York, NY: New York University Press, 1998; orig. pub. 1982), https://wayback.archive.org/web/20131208015807/http://mises.org/rothbard/ethics.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve4GO9l5 , http://www.freezepage.com/1447054928ZHDVKQZWOU , https://megalodon.jp/2015-1109-1645-37/w01.freezepage.com/a/14470/54928ZHDVKQZWOU/0 .
If one desires a solid grounding in economics then one can do no better than with the below texts:
- Hans-Hermann Hoppe, Economic Science and the Austrian Method (Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 1995), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Economic%20Science%20and%20the%20Austrian%20Method_3.pdf , https://wayback.archive.org/web/20140426110114/http://mises.org/books/esam.pdf , https://webcitation.org/63rQDYtj2 .
The above small book by Prof. Hoppe doesn't delve into political theory, but only concerns the methodological basis of economics (i.e., the epistemology of economics). I would recommend that everyone read this short book first if they're at all interested in economics. There exists much confusion as to what economics is and what it is not. This book is truly great in elucidating the nature of economics and its epistemic basis. If one were to read no other texts on economics, then this ought to be the economic text that one reads. Plus it doesn't take all that long to read it.
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Murray N. Rothbard, Ch. 17: "Toward a Reconstruction of Utility and Welfare Economics", pp. 224-262 in Mary Sennholz (Ed.), On Freedom and Free Enterprise: Essays in Honor of Ludwig von Mises (Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1956), https://cdn.mises.org/On%20Freedom%20and%20Free%20Enterprise%20Essays%20in%20Honor%20of%20Ludwig%20von%20Mises_2.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6Xz9WebJ6 , http://www.freezepage.com/1447055623CLUDAZDSPR . Reprinted in Murray N. Rothbard, The Logic of Action One: Method, Money, and the Austrian School (London, UK: Edward Elgar, 1997), pp. 211-255.
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Murray N. Rothbard, Man, Economy, and State (Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2nd ed., 2004; orig. pub. 1962), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Man%2C%20Economy%2C%20and%20State%2C%20with%20Power%20and%20Market_2.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6Xfycj7zV .
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Murray N. Rothbard, Power and Market: Government and the Economy (Kansas City: Sheed Andrews and McMeel, Inc., 1977; orig. pub. 1970), https://wayback.archive.org/web/20040720094416/http://www.mises.org/rothbard/power&market.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve3w5w9a , http://www.freezepage.com/1447054194BCBULVTSAX .
These texts ought to be read in the order listed above. I would also add to the above list the below book:
- Murray N. Rothbard, America's Great Depression (Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 5th ed., 2000; orig. pub. 1963), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Americas%20Great%20Depression_3.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6Xfyn2oXY .
The above book concerns how governments create depressions (i.e., panics; recessions) through credit expansion (i.e., fractional-reserve banking and/or fiat money).
On the matter of politics in relation to God, see my below article, which demonstrates the logically unavoidable anarchism of Jesus Christ's teachings as recorded in the New Testament (in addition to analyzing their context in relation to his actions, to the Tanakh, and to his apostles). It is logically complete on this subject, in the sense of its apodixis.
- James Redford, "Jesus Is an Anarchist", Social Science Research Network (SSRN), Dec. 4, 2011 (orig. pub. Dec. 19, 2001), 60 pp., doi:10.2139/ssrn.1337761, https://archive.org/download/JesusIsAnAnarchist/Redford-Jesus-Is-an-Anarchist.pdf , http://www.freezepage.com/1560442613QRSDHGPCAM , https://megalodon.jp/2019-0614-0116-58/archive.org/download/JesusIsAnAnarchist/Redford-Jesus-Is-an-Anarchist.pdf .
See also my below article, which demonstrates the logically unavoidable correctness of the anarcho-capitalist theory of human rights. It doesn't derive an "ought" from an "is"--rather, it derives an "ought" from an "ought": an "ought" everyone must necessarily presuppose in order to even begin to deny it.
- James Redford, "Libertarian Anarchism Is Apodictically Correct", Social Science Research Network (SSRN), Dec. 15, 2011, 9 pp., doi:10.2139/ssrn.1972733, https://archive.org/download/LibertarianAnarchismIsApodicticallyCorrect/Redford-Apodictic-Libertarianism.pdf , http://www.freezepage.com/1560442546UTKUJCKYNM , https://megalodon.jp/2019-0614-0115-06/archive.org/download/LibertarianAnarchismIsApodicticallyCorrect/Redford-Apodictic-Libertarianism.pdf .
For how physics allows unlimited progress by civilizations--to literally infinite intelligence and power--see my following article on physicist and mathematician Prof. Frank J. Tipler's Omega Point cosmology, which is a proof (i.e., mathematical theorem) of God's existence per the known laws of physics (viz., the Second Law of Thermodynamics, General Relativity, and Quantum Mechanics), and the Feynman-DeWitt-Weinberg quantum gravity/Standard Model Theory of Everything (TOE), which is also required by said known physical laws. The Omega Point cosmology has been published and extensively peer-reviewed in leading physics journals.
- James Redford, "The Physics of God and the Quantum Gravity Theory of Everything", Social Science Research Network (SSRN), Sept. 10, 2012 (orig. pub. Dec. 19, 2011), 186 pp., doi:10.2139/ssrn.1974708, https://archive.org/download/ThePhysicsOfGodAndTheQuantumGravityTheoryOfEverything/Redford-Physics-of-God.pdf , https://purl.org/redford/physics-of-god , https://sites.google.com/site/physicotheism/home/Redford-Physics-of-God.pdf .
Additionally, in the below resource are five sections which contain very informative videos of Prof. Tipler explaining the Omega Point cosmology and the Feynman-DeWitt-Weinberg quantum gravity/Standard Model TOE. The sixth section therein contains an audio interview of Tipler. I also provide some helpful notes and commentary for some of these videos.
- James Redford, "Video of Profs. Frank Tipler and Lawrence Krauss's Debate at Caltech: Can Physics Prove God and Christianity?", Pastebin.com, Apr. 18, 2019, https://pastebin.com/6bZDc7rB , https://archive.is/uHEyL , https://megalodon.jp/2019-0423-0435-52/pastebin.com/6bZDc7rB .
One cannot understand the extreme schizophrenia and sadomasochistic psychopathy of mankind--and hence the appeal that etatism holds for many--without incorporating the crucial insight provided by psychologist Julian Jaynes in his book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976). And here I'm not speaking of so-called "aberrant" human psychology, but rather simply standard human psychology that all humans are born with due to natural evolution. Concerning that, consult my following article:
- James Redford, "Societal Sadomasochism", Christian Forums, Apr. 19, 2019, https://archive.is/JPojL , https://megalodon.jp/2020-0325-0427-34/theophysics.freevar.com/christianforums.com-forums-general-political-discussion.450.html , https://web.archive.org/web/20200324192716/theophysics.freevar.com/christianforums.com-forums-general-political-discussion.450.html , http://www.freezepage.com/1585078048SAWDZFDONX .
Capitalism is simply what happens when the free-market system exists, i.e., when a state of liberty exists. What you're thinking of in using the misnomer "capitalism" is rather the mixed economy, i.e., mercantilism. The mixed economy is noxious precisely because of its collectivist elements.
What makes socialism the most mass-murderous philosophy ever conceived is precisely because it puts all power into the most mass-murderous organization to ever exist, i.e., the state. The liberal solution is to disempower the state, rather than empowering it as the collectivists do.
For how the free market can exist and indeed flourish without the aggression, disharmony and anarchy of the state, via private-protection agencies on a competitive market, see the below vital articles concerning the nature of government, of liberty, and the free-market production of defense:
-
Prof. Murray N. Rothbard, "The Anatomy of the State", Rampart Journal of Individualist Thought, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1965), pp. 1-24, https://mises.org/system/tdf/rampart_summer1965_2.pdf?file=1&type=document , https://webcitation.org/6ZvAbaX8z , http://www.freezepage.com/1447053835DURFWXQOPM . Reprinted in a collection of some of Rothbard's articles, Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature and Other Essays (Washington, DC: Libertarian Review Press, 1974), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Egalitarianism%20as%20a%20Revolt%20Against%20Nature%2C%20and%20Other%20Essays_2.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6XfwvbslB .
-
Murray N. Rothbard, Ch. 1: "Defense Services on the Free Market", pp. 1-9 in id., Power and Market: Government and the Economy (Kansas City: Sheed Andrews and McMeel, Inc., 1977; orig. pub. 1970), https://wayback.archive.org/web/20040720094416/http://www.mises.org/rothbard/power&market.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve3w5w9a , http://www.freezepage.com/1447054194BCBULVTSAX .
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Prof. Hans-Hermann Hoppe, "The Private Production of Defense", Journal of Libertarian Studies, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Winter 1998-1999), pp. 27-52, https://mises.org/sites/default/files/14_1_2_0.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve41VasQ .
-
Hans-Hermann Hoppe, "Fallacies of the Public Goods Theory and the Production of Security", Journal of Libertarian Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Winter 1989), pp. 27-46, https://mises.org/sites/default/files/9_1_2_0.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve485kNf .
-
Prof. David D. Friedman, Ch. 29: "Police, Courts, and Laws--on the Market", pp. 114-120 in id., The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism (La Salle, Ill.: Open Court Publishing Co., 1989; orig. pub. 1971), http://daviddfriedman.com/Libertarian/Machinery_of_Freedom/MofF_Chapter_29.html , https://webcitation.org/5ve4A6KFZ , https://archive.is/I1mt4 .
Concerning the ethics of human rights, the below book is the best book on the subject:
- Murray N. Rothbard, The Ethics of Liberty (New York, NY: New York University Press, 1998; orig. pub. 1982), https://wayback.archive.org/web/20131208015807/http://mises.org/rothbard/ethics.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve4GO9l5 , http://www.freezepage.com/1447054928ZHDVKQZWOU , https://megalodon.jp/2015-1109-1645-37/w01.freezepage.com/a/14470/54928ZHDVKQZWOU/0 .
If one desires a solid grounding in economics then one can do no better than with the below texts:
- Hans-Hermann Hoppe, Economic Science and the Austrian Method (Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 1995), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Economic%20Science%20and%20the%20Austrian%20Method_3.pdf , https://wayback.archive.org/web/20140426110114/http://mises.org/books/esam.pdf , https://webcitation.org/63rQDYtj2 .
The above small book by Prof. Hoppe doesn't delve into political theory, but only concerns the methodological basis of economics (i.e., the epistemology of economics). I would recommend that everyone read this short book first if they're at all interested in economics. There exists much confusion as to what economics is and what it is not. This book is truly great in elucidating the nature of economics and its epistemic basis. If one were to read no other texts on economics, then this ought to be the economic text that one reads. Plus it doesn't take all that long to read it.
-
Murray N. Rothbard, Ch. 17: "Toward a Reconstruction of Utility and Welfare Economics", pp. 224-262 in Mary Sennholz (Ed.), On Freedom and Free Enterprise: Essays in Honor of Ludwig von Mises (Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1956), https://cdn.mises.org/On%20Freedom%20and%20Free%20Enterprise%20Essays%20in%20Honor%20of%20Ludwig%20von%20Mises_2.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6Xz9WebJ6 , http://www.freezepage.com/1447055623CLUDAZDSPR . Reprinted in Murray N. Rothbard, The Logic of Action One: Method, Money, and the Austrian School (London, UK: Edward Elgar, 1997), pp. 211-255.
-
Murray N. Rothbard, Man, Economy, and State (Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2nd ed., 2004; orig. pub. 1962), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Man%2C%20Economy%2C%20and%20State%2C%20with%20Power%20and%20Market_2.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6Xfycj7zV .
-
Murray N. Rothbard, Power and Market: Government and the Economy (Kansas City: Sheed Andrews and McMeel, Inc., 1977; orig. pub. 1970), https://wayback.archive.org/web/20040720094416/http://www.mises.org/rothbard/power&market.pdf , https://webcitation.org/5ve3w5w9a , http://www.freezepage.com/1447054194BCBULVTSAX .
These texts ought to be read in the order listed above. I would also add to the above list the below book:
- Murray N. Rothbard, America's Great Depression (Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 5th ed., 2000; orig. pub. 1963), https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Americas%20Great%20Depression_3.pdf , https://webcitation.org/6Xfyn2oXY .
The above book concerns how governments create depressions (i.e., panics; recessions) through credit expansion (i.e., fractional-reserve banking and/or fiat money).
On the matter of politics in relation to God, see my below article, which demonstrates the logically unavoidable anarchism of Jesus Christ's teachings as recorded in the New Testament (in addition to analyzing their context in relation to his actions, to the Tanakh, and to his apostles). It is logically complete on this subject, in the sense of its apodixis.
- James Redford, "Jesus Is an Anarchist", Social Science Research Network (SSRN), Dec. 4, 2011 (orig. pub. Dec. 19, 2001), 60 pp., doi:10.2139/ssrn.1337761, https://archive.org/download/JesusIsAnAnarchist/Redford-Jesus-Is-an-Anarchist.pdf , http://www.freezepage.com/1560442613QRSDHGPCAM , https://megalodon.jp/2019-0614-0116-58/archive.org/download/JesusIsAnAnarchist/Redford-Jesus-Is-an-Anarchist.pdf .
See also my below article, which demonstrates the logically unavoidable correctness of the anarcho-capitalist theory of human rights. It doesn't derive an "ought" from an "is"--rather, it derives an "ought" from an "ought": an "ought" everyone must necessarily presuppose in order to even begin to deny it.
- James Redford, "Libertarian Anarchism Is Apodictically Correct", Social Science Research Network (SSRN), Dec. 15, 2011, 9 pp., doi:10.2139/ssrn.1972733, https://archive.org/download/LibertarianAnarchismIsApodicticallyCorrect/Redford-Apodictic-Libertarianism.pdf , http://www.freezepage.com/1560442546UTKUJCKYNM , https://megalodon.jp/2019-0614-0115-06/archive.org/download/LibertarianAnarchismIsApodicticallyCorrect/Redford-Apodictic-Libertarianism.pdf .
For how physics allows unlimited progress by civilizations--to literally infinite intelligence and power--see my following article on physicist and mathematician Prof. Frank J. Tipler's Omega Point cosmology, which is a proof (i.e., mathematical theorem) of God's existence per the known laws of physics (viz., the Second Law of Thermodynamics, General Relativity, and Quantum Mechanics), and the Feynman-DeWitt-Weinberg quantum gravity/Standard Model Theory of Everything (TOE), which is also required by said known physical laws. The Omega Point cosmology has been published and extensively peer-reviewed in leading physics journals.
- James Redford, "The Physics of God and the Quantum Gravity Theory of Everything", Social Science Research Network (SSRN), Sept. 10, 2012 (orig. pub. Dec. 19, 2011), 186 pp., doi:10.2139/ssrn.1974708, https://archive.org/download/ThePhysicsOfGodAndTheQuantumGravityTheoryOfEverything/Redford-Physics-of-God.pdf , https://purl.org/redford/physics-of-god , https://sites.google.com/site/physicotheism/home/Redford-Physics-of-God.pdf .
Additionally, in the below resource are five sections which contain very informative videos of Prof. Tipler explaining the Omega Point cosmology and the Feynman-DeWitt-Weinberg quantum gravity/Standard Model TOE. The sixth section therein contains an audio interview of Tipler. I also provide some helpful notes and commentary for some of these videos.
- James Redford, "Video of Profs. Frank Tipler and Lawrence Krauss's Debate at Caltech: Can Physics Prove God and Christianity?", Pastebin.com, Apr. 18, 2019, https://pastebin.com/6bZDc7rB , https://archive.is/uHEyL , https://megalodon.jp/2019-0423-0435-52/pastebin.com/6bZDc7rB .
One cannot understand the extreme schizophrenia and sadomasochistic psychopathy of mankind--and hence the appeal that etatism holds for many--without incorporating the crucial insight provided by psychologist Julian Jaynes in his book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976). And here I'm not speaking of so-called "aberrant" human psychology, but rather simply standard human psychology that all humans are born with due to natural evolution. Concerning that, consult my following article:
- James Redford, "Societal Sadomasochism", Christian Forums, Apr. 19, 2019, https://archive.is/JPojL , https://megalodon.jp/2020-0325-0427-34/theophysics.freevar.com/christianforums.com-forums-general-political-discussion.450.html , https://web.archive.org/web/20200324192716/theophysics.freevar.com/christianforums.com-forums-general-political-discussion.450.html , http://www.freezepage.com/1585078048SAWDZFDONX .