Capitalism vs. Socialism - Why Not Have Both?

(This article originally appeared in the Century City News as authored by Michael Douglas Carlin)

There rages a debate in America about Capitalism versus Socialism. The fact is that there is middle ground where both can peacefully co-exist. The best of both systems will bring about the greatest era of peace and prosperity.

We can have peace in our lifetime if we all do our part.

This must be a partnership of every individual, non-profit organization, corporation, and government - all working together to bring the basic needs to all of humanity.

It is time for humanity to grow up. Our "Identity Crisis" is ridiculous. We run around like little spoiled brats sweeping our messes under the carpet rather than deal with them in a forthright manner. Turning a blind eye to problems like homelessness ends up costing more than facing the problem with housing, meals, and services that recycle lives and get them back on the road as productive members of society.

The debate between Socialism and Capitalism continues because of the merits of both systems. We hear the entrepreneur say, "I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps and was never given a thing…why should we give them anything?" We also hear those that have been helped by social programs say, "I reached out to the government for help during a time of crisis in my life and now, I own my own business." The engine of capitalism cannot be refuted. It is what has driven the global economy. The benefits of socialism cannot be refuted either. That is why the debate is so compelling.

The overused phrase, "give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime" also has merits. We need to assume nothing during the education process that teaches men, women and children to "fish". We need to understand that in today's complicated world the process of teaching men women and children to fish is a process that may take time. Not everyone has the ability to fish while learning. The reason why we should help people that can't pull themselves up by their own bootstraps is that it is the right thing to do. Helping people while they learn is more humane and costs less than sweeping them under the carpet.

Let's put the debate of Capitalism and Socialism to rest. Turning a blind eye to people who have no ability to "fish" is no longer acceptable. A layer of socialism where not only do we teach men, women and children to "fish" but where that burden is shared by government, corporations, non-profits, and individuals, fueled by Capitalism for those who take personal responsibility and want all that capitalism provides. Two systems living side by side coexisting and flourishing.

Let's move the debate forward to renewable systems that prepare and plan for the next thousand years.

This is A Prescription For Peace:

1. Food
2. Shelter
3. Health Care
4. Personal Safety
5. Education
6. Livelihood
7. Empower Women

All leading to HOPE


Thomas Jefferson wrote the words: "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"

If we have the right to life then we have the right to three square meals a day, a roof over our head, access to quality health care, personal security, an education and a job. For how could we ever begin to experience liberty or pursue happiness without the basic needs being met.

"Our work will not be done until every man, woman, and child alive has three square meals a day, a roof over their head, access to quality health care, personal security, an education and a job." - Michael Douglas Carlin

Michael Douglas Carlin is the director of the movies Luvicide and American Federale. Recently he completed a ten-year stint as the Publisher and Editor of the Century City News. Here his articles turned into three books: Rise a Knight, A Prescription for Peace, and Peaceful Protests. Michael Carlin was born in Los Angeles in 1962. He grew up in the entertainment business. His grandfather was a teamster whose last movie was Jaws with stories of working for Cecil B. DeMille, Howard Hughes, and Samuel Goldwyn. His father was a lighting director and Michael grew up on the sets of King Kong, Who Will Stop The Rain, The Fury and the series Chips. The family founded lighting and grip company Keylite PSI that supplied equipment on Ordinary People, The Untouchables, Boyz In The Hood, Platoon, JFK, Reservoir Dogs, and hundreds of other feature films and thousands of hours of television. For many years Carlin ran the family business and managed independent studios. He worked also in the entertainment industry as an actor, lighting technician, grip, cameraman, production manager, producer, and director. Carlin also published The Entertainment Funding Sourcebook, The Studio White Pages, and Media and Entertainment Institutional Investors.