Quote:I ask, with all sincerity, is capitalism required, according to the Constitution?

Most of the founding fathers were strong capitalists. In fact, the US broke off from England for purely capitalistic reasons. Representation and control of their own destiny were largely just talking points for the populace. It was a war about rich men who were tired of giving an offshore government that did nothing to support them a piece of the pie. In that regard, once could certainly argue that even if capitalism wasn't required, the signers of the Declaration of Independence certainly envisioned it as the economic system of choice.

 

Quote:That's a very good question, one that can be debated and discussed to great lengths.  My short answer is "yes and no".  A capitalist society is a free society.  Let me counter by asking you this.  Is socialism or communism required according to The Constitution?

No, not at all. A "free" society is all that's required, and I'd argue that our society is far from free. Communism is, by definition, not a free society, but socialism can be more free than whatever you want to call what we have now.

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