Observe the paradoxes built up about capitalism.
It has been called a system of selfishness,
yet it is the only system
that drew people to unite
on a large scale into great countries,
and peacefully to cooperate across national boundaries,
while all the collectivist, internationalist, One-World systems
are splitting the world into Balkanized tribes.
yet it is the system
that raised the standard of living of its poorest citizens to heights
no collectivist system has ever begun to equal,
and no tribal gang can conceive of.
Capitalism has been called nationalistic
yet it is the only system that banished ethnicity,
and made it possible,
in the United States (and most parts of Canada),
for men and women of various,
formerly antagonistic nationalities to live together in peace.
Capitalism has been called cruel
yet it brought such hope, progress and general good will
that the young people of today, who have not seen it,
find it hard to believe.
As to pride, dignity, self-confidence, self-esteem
these are characteristics that mark a person for martyrdom
in a tribal society
and under any social system
except capitalism.
Ayn Rand : Global Balkanization,”
