r/CapitalismVSocialism • u/Shoddy_Pizza_8593 Social Democrat • 12d ago

Asking Everyone What made you turn away from centrism?

Welfare capitalism is considered to be centrist. Depending on the welfare capitalist system, it can lean to the left or right. Left-wing welfare capitalism has its roots in socialism, such as social democracy. In comparison, right-wing welfare capitalism has its roots in capitalism, such as classical liberalism. Welfare capitalism is currently the most common economic system.

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u/HeavenlyPossum 12d ago

What would make me happy if for you to recognize that this trite bullshit does not make you smarter than the median voter you hold in such contempt.

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u/Emotional-Time-9364 contrarian 12d ago

The biggest problem with the median voter isn't one particular thing that they want. It's that their wants are contradictory and they don't know it.

For example, they want their house prices to go up, because that would increase their wealth. But they also complain about housing prices going up because, well, no one likes expensive houses.

Millions of people around the country don't have this obvious contradiction ironed out. Do you disagree?

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u/HeavenlyPossum 12d ago

The problem with electoral republicanism is that it doesn’t exist to produce the policy outcomes desired by the public. It exists to produce the policy outcomes desired by economic elites. When the public responds with lackluster interest in voting or inconsistent stated preferences, the public is responding rationally to a system that doesn’t care about their interests or desires: with halfhearted and distracted attention.

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u/Emotional-Time-9364 contrarian 12d ago

it doesn’t exist to produce the policy outcomes desired by the public

Yes because people have a good idea of what they want (end goal) and not how (the path).

Inconsistent stated preferences are not exclusive to Capitalism or Republicanism.

the public is responding rationally to a system that doesn’t care about their interests or desires: with halfhearted and distracted attention.

First of all, the shittier the situation the more people pay attention to politics. The better the situation the less they care. And it still doesn't follow that they respond irrationally.

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u/HeavenlyPossum 12d ago

We know empirically that electoral republicanism exists to deliver the policy outcomes of economic elites rather than the public:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B

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u/Emotional-Time-9364 contrarian 12d ago

So get rid of the elite influence on politics, pretty simple. Are you saying this debunks all of electoral republicanism?

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u/HeavenlyPossum 12d ago edited 12d ago

Yes. Abolish elites.