"It seems evident to me that the ideal situation is a combination of socialism and capitalism"

I think you're right Ron, but socialism has become a dirty word (especially in UK politics) and I'm not sure if they even know what it is in the US.

Interestingly, when you mix capitalism with communism you end up with a particularly nasty system such as the one emerging in China, where huge numbers of the workforce are treated as virtual slave labour by a corrupt ruling elite. The people have little or no state assistance and their land is taken off them by force whenever the government decides it's OK for someone to build there. There was a particularly depressing report on BBC 24 about the conditions Chinese peasants are suffering due to pollution from nearby factories. People are routinely tortured, subject to summary executions etc.

Riginslinger made the point it is all quiet in Tibet - that's because the country has been essentially wiped off the map in an illegal occupation by China.

All this illustrates the main failure of capitalism - it has no moral integrity. Communist China instigated the oppression of it's own people and invaded Tibet - capitalist China continues to act on these outrages with the full knowlege (and blessing) of the western capitalist powers.

The fact Bush and B.liar fete China due it's being an enormous marketplace whilst waging a 'just' war against another oppressive regime shows the hipocracy and lack of moral integrity the capitalist system requires of our 'leaders' (MDs?).

Try this link for more info: www.tibet.com