<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes" ?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title><![CDATA[Jubilee Centre - Readers Comments]]></title><link>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/jubilee/blogs.php</link><description><![CDATA[Comments on the blog: Beyond Capitalism: Towards a Relational economy]]></description><language>en-gb</language><lastBuildDate>Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:26:03 GMT</lastBuildDate><item><title><![CDATA[Nicholas Sibanda]]></title><link>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1704</link><description><![CDATA[Dear Michael, 
Thanks for this thought provoking look at Capitalism. I am a Christian working with Small Enterprises and am afraid that the biblical mindset is missing in most of the stuff I teach people. This is largely due to my secular university training. It is true that the Capitalism as a system is flawed and we do right to incorporate Biblical principles in our training. I am revising my approach to training and what I advocate for as foundational for success in business. ]]></description><guid>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1704</guid><pubDate>Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:26:03 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Lloyd]]></title><link>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1425</link><description><![CDATA[Hi Michael
I dont know if you have everything right, but I do know that the current system needs a good look at. As Christians we need to lead the way and I belive that God is raising up people just like the people in Wilberforces day that are going to change things.We need more than a new financial system, we need  change of heart in the western world otherwise we will destroy ourselves. Only God can provide the answers and it is through articles like this and prayer that we can offer real change. Unless we as Christians speak up we will become irrelevant. We are meant to bring hope and light to the world so keep it up Michael as you dont know what God might do.]]></description><guid>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1425</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:04:18 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[David]]></title><link>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1423</link><description><![CDATA[Michael, Sorry, but this article is horribly flawed and, should you ever be in a position to dictate economic policy, the world’s economy would be in dire strife indeed.  

All your points have been tried before in many guises throughout history by many cultures. Whilst it all seems wonderful to have a community based collective system in theory, past experience has proven that this just does not work.  You say that capitalism promotes the idolisation of money.  Yes, in a way, but it is more the human character for personal ambition and selfishness that drives things and that is the reason that capitalism works better - because it goes with and uses that human trait (rather than battle against it), providing incentive to the individual which in turn promotes productivity and benefits society as a whole.  In collective economic systems, it is proven time and again that humans cannot keep within the parameters to the detriment of the whole – collapsing the system into a mire of corruption and exploitation, resulting in low productivity and poverty.  

I agree that capitalism is flawed, but it is the best we have.  These boom/bust cycles are part of it, although we need to get the regulation in the right proportions to improve it and prevent major issues (sometimes getting in wrong as we have seen in the GFC).  In specific circumstances and in the short-term, it is sad that communities are disenfranchised (you cite Cadburys and Birmingham).  But this is natural waste in a free economy and normally occurs because resources are more productive/competitive elsewhere.  Communities can learn new skills and, whilst is hard in the short term, this model drives growth faster, provides jobs and benefits everyone.  By artificially restricting this freedom (as you imply), you end up with unproductive, outdated and lazy resources, which leads to a negative spiral.  

You look through rose tinted and your ideas would fall at the first hurdle in the real world.  However, it is perhaps understandable that you do not have a grasp of reality when you base arguments on ancient scripture.  How on earth can idealistic writings of thousands of years ago in a semi-literate barter-based economy point us in the right direction?  Plus, you cherry pick the parts of scripture that you want in order to make your point: Should you not be advocating slavery as in the OT as well? Cheap labour.... Perhaps this is a cheap shot, but you get my point.  Islam has tried to get around religious dogma to get involved in modern finance by introducing Sukuk bonds.  Is that what you suggest, that we base policy on religion, having the local vicar decide on what financial instrument is 'Christian enough'?

You need to look at the reality of human character and how to get the best out of us.  Unfortunately, it needs to be based on incentive of personal gain.  Whilst flawed, on balance the capitalist system has dramatically improved the lives of society as a whole – look at the difference between starving Maoist China with the more capitalist PRC model we see today just a few years on.  Let’s try to improve our flawed capitalist laissez-faire system rather than advocating cockamamie religious based foolery. We have a far better standard of living under the capitalist system (even post GFC) than we would have had if your idealistic collective economy had been in its place.
]]></description><guid>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1423</guid><pubDate>Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:50:31 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[James Gunn]]></title><link>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1384</link><description><![CDATA[
HI Michael,  Are these flaws of capitalism or of us ?]]></description><guid>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1384</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 May 2010 00:44:05 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stephen DeKuyper]]></title><link>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1350</link><description><![CDATA[As someone who has been a staunch advocate of Capitalism for most of my life (as long as I can remember, but probably not pre-school), my faith in the system has been thoroughly shaken over the past couple of years. I want to thank you for this paper and the proposals you have set forth. 

I appreciate how you have proposed biblical and practical solutions and how you have addressed some of the inevitable concerns such as the post-code lottery and poor management. I am still worried however that there will always be big fish who are not satisfied with the power and money within their small pond and will do anything to expand it.

I have also been thinking about this concept on a business level. We already see companies that bring their people together in smaller teams. Placing ‘families’ within ‘communities’ or ‘villages’ may be an effective way of facilitating people to work together. 
]]></description><guid>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1350</guid><pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:01:46 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Al Shaw]]></title><link>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1345</link><description><![CDATA[A really important and helpful article - verging on the radical in places!

More work needed to flesh out the practical responses to the deficiences in localism, though I do agree that such an approach is the correct one.

Need to put some clear water between this vision of society/limited government and that of those on the right who might use similar language but without the corresponding relational ethic.
]]></description><guid>http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments/282/beyond_capitalism_towards_a_relational_economy#comment1345</guid><pubDate>Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:21:11 GMT</pubDate></item><atom:link href="http://www.jubilee-centre.org/cp_comments.xml.php" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /></channel></rss>
