Is this the end of Capitalisim?

There has been talk among conservatives and liberals alike on whether the peak of capitalism has been reached. Since the fall of Bear Stearns in early summer, numerous major banks, both in investments and basic banking alike have collapsed. Washington Mutual officially declared Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and was declared insolvent by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) on September 26 this year. Total losses from WAMU totaled out to $327.9 billion making it the largest company to fall into bankruptcy every in United States history. Currently the credit market is still frozen and interbank lending is essentially none existent. Include a housing market run that hasn't been seen since the Great Depression, and Wall Street is sent into a tailspin. Two weeks ago the world recognized what would be known to our children as the "Great Crash of '08."

So what does all of this mean? Has capitalism failed at it's very core? Does the US financial system see doom in its near future? Is this the end of the Great Western Powers and more so, is this the end of Globalization. Few would say yes, but to the contrary it is no where near the end.

First one most recognize that this the the natural life cycle of free market economies. People make money, then the make more money. Eventually someone becomes too greedy and their greed eventually becomes there downfall. They buy more than they can afford and suddenly, the debt tailspins out of control. One then has no choice to either stop buying to pay the debt or just collapse all together. The point of modern government of course is to minimize the blow when it all comes crashing down.

People are screaming of course that this whole bailout smells of socialism. Government now has a stake in the markets and many banks are now publicly owned. In many ways I can disagree with them. It angers me more in that the government has used our money (taxpayer money) to repair what was the consequence of their greed. However, I have begun to look at the whole picture rather then the fine line. The government essentially had no choice. If government could help these companies without using taxpayer money, they would do it; however that's just not possible. People need to realize Main Street needs Wall Street and vice versa. Without banks, there is no credit, without credit companies can't access loans to continue there operations, and without money, companies will have no choice but to layoff people and downsize. Everything is set in a symbiotic relationship and the public needs to see it. When you look at the whole picture, that being pragmatic.

So what needs to be done to allow the system to survive. The first and for most pressing issue is to save as many banks as possible. Government has done a fairly good job at it, but the crisis is far from over. More needs to be done, and countries need to unite with each other to figure out the best way to save as much as can be saved. One should not follow the policies of the 30s that allow countries to hoard goods rather than continue trade. Some are even talking of a new Brentton Woods system, a co-operation of countries to set proper trade and regulate currencies exchanges. I whole heatedly agree with this and the first of the talks should be to reorganize the IMF. The IMF's debt regulations between nations is outdated and needs to be examined.

Next of course is internal regulation. As more and more time passes and the November 4th election rapidly arrives, it looks more and more likely that the Democrats are going to win control of the government again. I am not ready to set my predictions just yet, as polls are unreliable, and in such a troubling time, voters are irrational and confused and are capable of anything at the last minute. However, with the numbers as they are and with two weeks left, McCain's chances of coming back to the top are becoming more and more unlikely - not impossible, but unlikely. People don't necessarily distrust McCain, but rather the party he belongs to and the simple fact is, it seems the public has become weary of of the Republican Party. If Obama is to win, he should recognize that while regulation is needed, there is a fine line from proper set rules and socialism. The economy needs smart government, not an overpowering one. Government should set rules that allow finance to repair itself not take over it. Finance however should realize that the government bank is not unlimited and only so much money can or rather should be passed around. Globalization should continue. NAFTA should be reexamined but not abolished. Without free trade, countries like China or India could not be near what they are today. Last but not least, the American people need to start saving. The Baby Boomer generation has begun to feel the consequence to not properly saving for retirement. Capitalism and the stock market can take you far, but it is by no means a protected system for retirement. The simple truth is money wont always be there, markets have there ups and downs, and no society has ever survived without saving a little something for those "rainy days"

Is capitalism over? No by any and all means. It's just on hold right now. Much like the economist states, "For all its flaws, it still is the best system out there." With proper governing, the financial system can repair itself and become strong again.