Capitalism in Belarus. Does Belarus need it now or not?

In the world, capitalism is not a young phenomenon, which cannot be said about capitalism in Belarus. The date of his birth is considered to be the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. According to the statement of the supporter and inspirer of the opposite camp, Karl Marx, “the mill created feudalism, and the steam engine created capitalism." From this expression it is easy to understand that capitalism arose naturally and was a natural reaction to a change in the economic environment.

Once having arisen, capitalism began to gain ground around the world. Very soon, capitalism reached the territory of modern Belarus. Thanks to this, many enterprises began to appear here, the emergence of which previously seemed unthinkable. This allows us to say with full confidence that the history of capitalism on the territory of modern Belarus has more than one century, capitalism in Belarus has been around for a long time.

However, the struggle that unleashed in the first half of the last century of the last millennium between capitalism and socialism led to the fact that socialism won on the territory of modern Belarus. It is clear that where socialism was widespread, capitalism was discredited through propaganda.

Is capitalism necessary in Belarus

This led to the fact that negative attitudes were introduced into the heads of the population of the socialist countries, including Belarus, about what capitalism is and what results it leads to. Thanks to this, a large number of people have appeared who have a negative attitude towards capitalism, and, consequently, to the opportunities that it gives for each person individually and the state in particular.

However, in addition to the minuses that any system has, capitalism also has pluses, including capitalism in Belarus has its pluses and minuses. The cons were long and hard talked about in the last millennium, so it's not worth repeating. In order to restore justice, to let people understand the true essence of capitalism, it is necessary to talk about the pluses, and the pluses are not simple, but the pluses are confirmed by facts.

You can be sure that every adult living in Belarus remembers the last days of socialism very clearly and clearly: empty grocery store shelves, meager salaries that have not been paid for many months, lines for bread, general despair and hopelessness.

… capitalism in Belarus also has its pluses and minuses…

But the worst thing in that situation was that practically nothing could be done to correct the situation. People were willing to do anything to get money to feed themselves and their children. But the system did not give them a chance, and they were forced to stay in this state for a long time, seeking solace in a glass of alcohol, which became very affordable at that time.

As soon as the system collapsed, as people received economic freedom, they finally got real opportunities to correct the current situation. Many of the former teachers, educators, engineers and other knowledge workers who have been hit hardest by the crisis in the social system have gone into business.

Some went to Poland, Turkey or China for cheap clothes and shoes, others went to Germany for cars and spare parts for them. Still others began to open car services, kiosks or small shops on every corner. Everyone got a chance not just to survive, but to build their own life with their own strength and their own labor, and a large number of them soon began to succeed. Thus began the revival of capitalism in Belarus.

Will capitalism take root in Belarus

Economic freedom soon led to real freedom of thought. Although there is an opinion that capitalism has always and everywhere been aimed at enslaving people, aimed at taking away their freedom, however, in reality this is not so. Under socialism, there seemed to be freedom, but it was not real. Real freedom can only be when there is self-interest.

It is he who forces people to express their opinions, to protest against the orders they do not like. Under socialism, such a situation was simply not realistic, because it is very difficult to gather people to protest when they have no personal interest in it. Suffice it to recall the times when people went to vote only because there were scarce goods at the polling stations.

It is clear that one is not a warrior in the field

With the revival of capitalism in Belarus, people began to have personal interests, and rather strong interests. People begin to understand that in one situation they really win, and in another they really lose. The desire to win, not lose, pushes them to defend the state of affairs in which they will win and people begin to go to the polls not because they can buy something there, but because they want to protect themselves, choose their future on their own. All this leads to even more freedom.

It is clear that one is not a warrior in the field. One voice or opinion is not enough to change the situation. Changing the situation requires the intervention of the authorities. But on the other hand, it is also clear that the interests are present both in ordinary people and in people in power. This leads to the fact that people in power begin to really need ordinary people and their support.

It turns out that it is under capitalism that ordinary people, the people, get real levers of power and can really influence the situation. The authorities are beginning to be interested in solving the problems of ordinary people in order to keep their support. The solution of the problems of ordinary people, the people, will be pushed through at the highest levels, which means that the probability that they will be solved will increase many times over. Thus, capitalism not only gives freedom, but also allows it to be realized.

The main advantages of capitalism

Now it is already unrealistic to find stores with empty shelves, but just some 15 years ago it was a ubiquitous picture. No one probably thought about how it happened that now another problem has arisen – the problem of choice – this is perceived naturally. But if you think about it, then the shops bursting with goods are the merit of capitalism. It was he who, having begun to revive, after the collapse of the socialist system, made it possible to make it possible to buy something for the money earned.

It is known from Maslow's theory that human needs are hierarchical. Below are the most primitive, above the more sublime. Failure to meet needs leads to the fact that people become aggressive. At the same time, if the needs of the lower level are not satisfied, then this aggressiveness is primitive.

But if higher level needs are not met, such as respect, recognition, belonging, then the government may have big problems. After all, high needs arise from fairly developed people who can pose a real threat to the government.

Capitalism allows you to solve this problem in the best way.

Capitalism allows you to solve this problem in the best way. Thanks to capitalism, a large number of ambitious people appear in society who want to realize their ambitions. This leads to competition between them. With the advent of competition, many types of activities are not as profitable as before, and this contributes to the fact that people with an entrepreneurial streak begin to look for other areas of application of their efforts.

Thanks to this, new products, new types of entertainment and services appear. Thus, capitalism allows you to meet the needs of all levels, and therefore reduce the level of discontent and, consequently, the level of threat to the government. Moreover, the desire to maintain such a situation leads to the fact that the majority of citizens begin to consciously support such a government that provides it with a high standard of living. All this makes the state more stable and prosperous.

Probably every person living in Belarus, and in general in the world, has gone through a period of dreams. After all, not always the ability of a person to get or do what he wants coincided with his desires. In this case, he could only dream. Some have gone from dreaming to realizing it, but many have never.

If you take a sensible look at this state of affairs, it becomes obvious that the largest percentage of dreams come true in those countries where there is capitalism. It turns out that capitalism is in some way a magic wand that allows you to satisfy not only urgent needs, but also make the dreams of many millions of people a reality.

It may seem ridiculous, but capitalism makes a very significant contribution to the formation of culture. One can recall the empty shelves of Soviet stores and the rudeness of sellers and compare it with what has become now, when a lot of stores have become private property. And now it has happened that the level of service culture has risen significantly.

Sellers are interested in the client being satisfied and buying goods from them, which means they have to be polite and cultured. Previously, people became respected only after drinking a bottle of vodka together, but now respect comes to a sober head, which means consciously. This state of affairs cannot but rejoice.

The main disadvantages of capitalism

There is, of course, a bit of a stick in capitalism, but more of it is a carrot. The capitalist system is built in such a way that a person has many reasons to work well. On the one hand, this is a reward for work, and on the other hand, it is an opportunity to move up the career ladder. Any owner of an enterprise is interested in making it bring maximum income and understands that its value greatly depends on how talented and qualified people work for it.

For this reason, he will not invite exclusively relatives, acquaintances and friends, but will take a lot of people from outside. This gives more chances to move up the career ladder and social hierarchy to the most talented and qualified people, regardless of who their parents are. Capitalism is interested in the development of talents, for which various funds are created to support them.

You can certainly say that capitalism is aimed at oppression

Of course, one can say that capitalism is aimed at oppression, but it is enough to look at the average level of income and standard of living in countries that still profess socialism, at least with countries where there was socialism not long ago, but capitalism has become. Probably no one doubts that it looks more preferable here just the same countries where capitalism is developed or is developing. After all, private enterprises allow you to create new jobs, give work, and, consequently, income on which you can live.

Much has been written and said about justice. Everyone means by it something of their own. One thinks that he has the right to lead a parasitic way of life, to live at the expense of others, and considers this fair. The other, almost from childhood, begins to do something in order to be needed by other people and, therefore, to get money for it.

In this context, capitalism is a system that allows everyone to get what they deserve. Under capitalism, who, how much he invests in a common cause, receives so much from the common piggy bank. At the same time, it seems very fair here that it is possible to receive from the piggy bank even if your grandfathers began to invest there.

What can be capitalism in Belarus

At the same time, capitalism is a system that gives birth to strong people, and it is natural for a strong person to take care of weak people – these are the laws of nature. Therefore, strong people are very often the organizers of all sorts of good deeds, such as the opening of funds that help the sick, the poor, the destitute. Thus, capitalism is a system that contains a large share of morality.

Capitalism develops in a person the ability to make his choice, and to do it every minute, develops in him the ability to analyze his actions, cause-and-effect relationships and, thus, understand that certain actions lead to a result, while others do not. Capitalism teaches people to be independent and thereby save society's resources, direct them to solve those problems that really need to be solved.

There is a category of people who make a series of mistakes. As a result, they turn into losers. Losers steal success. The more such losers, the poorer the society, because. losers steal success from other members of society. Some systems breed losers, others minimize their number.

Capitalism refers to a system that expands the right to choose and make a decision, thereby disciplines a person. As a result, most people begin to realize that they should be responsible for their choices, and not make decisions without thinking.

The inertia left from past times, when people were provided with conditions in which they can ride like cheese in butter, when their whole life is scheduled, and they don’t have to worry about anything, but just wait, has remained to this day. This leads to the fact that a large number of people remain and appear who are constantly waiting for help instead of thinking how to help themselves.

This provokes the growth of the army of beneficiaries. Benefits, of course, must be presented, but presented to those who really need them. The rest need to provide the conditions under which they will think. After all, Belarus is the center of Europe, a region where one of the centers of human civilization is currently located. It is impossible to allow the people inhabiting this country to be low-level and become beggars. It is necessary to make sure that Belarus is a country in which the signs of culture and civilization are obvious.

In fact, capitalism is also that fulcrum that does not allow a person to fall out of reality. Under capitalism, everything is fair, just and predictable. Doing things that benefit society – you have money to live on. For this reason, capitalism is a system in which the greatest share of common sense. If you have fallen out of reality, doing things that no one needs, very soon they will stop doing business with you.

What are the benefits of capitalism

Thus, capitalism is a kind of inoculation against schizophrenia. It forces all people without exception, from the very top of society to its very bottom, to keep abreast of reality. Capitalism is a system in which there is no coercion, but there is persuasion. No one will force you to work or be someone. All this has to be chosen independently.

They simply show you the possibilities, explain that a given set of your actions will lead to one result, and another given set will lead to a different result. Nobody canceled the law of cause-and-effect relationships, so a person is clearly aware of what to choose.

Previously, it was widely believed that capitalists are thieves, and capitalism itself is a system aimed at the formation of thieves. However, the facts say otherwise, because you can only steal what is “badly lying”, i.e. something that either does not belong to anyone and is not protected, or that is poorly protected.

That time some might call the new capitalism in Belarus

Let us now imagine a situation in which it is possible for a capitalist to leave his property unguarded. This situation is not real, because all the capitalist's money is his whole life. If these assets are taken away from him, then the capitalist will be left without a livelihood. Only a person whose self-preservation instinct is atrophied can allow this to happen.

So it turns out such a situation that it is not possible to steal, because. no one has. Anyone who wants to steal will know that he will be rebuffed and more so the more he wants to steal. Therefore, before stealing, those who want to do it will think a thousand times whether they need to do it, because. the chance of stealing is small, and the chance of getting into big trouble is almost 100%.

Of course, one can object, recalling the situation that developed in Belarus in the early 90s of the last century, when theft and racketeering were widespread. At that time, some may call the new capitalism in Belarus, but in terms of characteristics, it is more like anarchy.

A new attempt to build capitalism in Belarus

There was a time, including in Belarus, when demand exceeded supply. It was possible to produce everything and sell everything, and it doesn’t matter what quality and no matter what “shelf life”. But the development of technology has led to a situation where the situation has changed. Now, in order to sell, you need to innovate. Capitalism is an ideal system, which is aimed at creating innovations to the maximum extent possible.

But it is not possible to create innovations without advanced science. Science, in turn, requires the creation of educational institutions that employ many thousands of teachers who train people who are able to earn money not only with their hands, but also with their heads.

It is one thing to produce something, and another thing to sell. To sell, you must be open, enter into a large number of interactions. At the same time, the desire to sell extends so far that it forces not only individuals, individual companies, but also entire states to be open. This provokes the development of tourism, gives people the opportunity to look at life differently.

Over time, this situation leads to a qualitative change in life, as it allows you to borrow the positive experience of many peoples. If it were not for capitalism, it would probably be difficult to find sushi, pizza, cognac and many other things in Belarus now. I would also have to walk to work, rather than drive high-quality German or Japanese cars.

It may seem that capitalism is a system aimed at cultivating selfishness. For this, there may be arguments that under the capitalist system everyone strives to earn money, to obtain certain goods, and so on. But it is known that one is not a warrior in the field. The world of capitalism is quite tough, and this gives rise to people's need for other people, because. instincts tell you to unite.

Just look at the corporate culture in private companies. Often they are small, everyone knows each other and eventually turn into one big family. They begin to understand that money is not everything, human relationships are also important.

Capitalism contributes to the emergence of real, not illusory equality before the law. The desire to sit down a competitor, which any people have, including people in power, provokes him to use all available means. The humanism of our time does not allow the use of illegal means, but only legal ones. Thanks to this, the law becomes one of the weapons of struggle, and everyone is ready to apply it if a competitor makes a mistake.

This state of affairs forces people to be more correct, to ensure that their actions do not contradict the laws, and this leads to real equality of all residents of the state before the law. Any official, any businessman, who previously could count on benefits in such a matter, lose them under capitalism. They know that dozens of competitors are breathing down their backs and one illegal action can lead them to collapse.

How to live in the modern world

Many can agree that capitalism is good. But the majority will still be suspicious of him due to the fact that under capitalism there is a certain caste of people – capitalists. The image of a capitalist has been formed among the people as a ruthless, selfish person who only thinks about how to make more money. It may seem that society can do without such people, save a lot of money that they spend on expensive cars, clothes, houses.

At the same time, there are historical examples when this was the case. But this is all just a theory. In practice, the situation is different, and the fact that almost all the known history of the state, which was not built according to the capitalist method, no longer exists, and the few remaining states are very close to their logical collapse, is quite natural.

Always and everywhere the collapse of states and their subsequent disappearance occurred because of chaos. In some cases, this chaos occurred for external reasons, in others for internal reasons. The external reason is always the same – the conquest of the state by another, stronger state. There are two internal reasons.

… the state was no longer able to meet the needs of its members

The first of them – the state ceased to cope with the needs of its members. This caused general discontent, which gradually grew and, in the end, reached a level where the existence of the state was not possible.

To talk about the second reason, it is necessary to recall one simple but important law of nature – energy is needed for everything. Thanks to energy, cars drive, planes fly, TVs and computers work. Even a person exists due to the energy that is formed as a result of nutrition and breathing.

But energy is needed not only for movement, but also to ensure the integrity of disparate elements, and the state, which consists of individual citizens, also needs energy that unites everyone into a single whole. If this level of energy is insufficient, then the state plunges into chaos and will soon collapse.

History shows that of all the available methods of generating energy, which include ideology, an external threat and the personal interest of citizens, it was the last method that showed the greatest efficiency. It is thanks to the cultivation of the personal interest of citizens, the creation of such conditions under which it is most active, that almost all great states were created from ancient times to our time.

There were several examples of great states that were created on the basis of ideology, but all of them did not last long, and for this reason they cannot be considered acceptable, because everyone is interested in Belarus to exist for a long time.

Cultivating self-interest is, of course, a good thing. But it cannot exist for a long time if it is not realized. For its implementation, one more element is needed, a certain core that unites disparate interests into a whole, protects this interest and is engaged in its development, i.e. need a host. In modern conditions, the owner is a person who is called a capitalist.

It turns out that if we discard the ideology and leave only the facts, and only the facts are the truth, it turns out that the capitalists are the core, the cement, the link that, through their companies, create a sufficient amount of energy. Thus, a capitalist is a person who performs an important role – the role of accumulation and conservation of energy, its exaggeration.

However, energy is something that cannot be touched, used or stored directly, it must first of all be embodied, materialized. At different times, different things acted as incarnations of this energy: cattle, silver, gold. Nowadays, this role is played by money. From this position, the capitalist can be considered as someone who is engaged in the production of money, i.e. wealth of the state.

All this suggests that the existing opinion about the capitalist is far from being fair. It is customary to think well of turners, builders, workers in the agricultural sector. But the capitalist is just as much a worker. He, like the others, is engaged in production. It's just that his role is not so obvious due to the fact that the product that he produces himself is not so obvious from the outside.

Capitalist – good or bad

A capitalist, like others, before becoming an ace in his profession, studies for a long time. At the same time, unlike others, he studies for his own money. He pours his available funds and reputation into the cause, and every time he takes a risk. He can win, but he can also lose. For this reason, not everyone ends up as a capitalist. Because for this, as well as for other professions, talent is needed. But everyone can try and understand that this bread is far from being as “tasty” as it might seem.

We all want changes, we all want to live better and more interesting, and there is an opinion that capitalism in Belarus will help this. Nobody doubts that it will. But after a while. Of course, it is possible to speed up the onset of this time, but we must speed up the process that will lead to this. We know from physics that there are substances that will speed up processes.

They are called catalysts. Obviously, it is necessary to find a catalyst for economic development as well. The experience of developed countries shows that the most effective catalyst that accelerates the economic development of the state is precisely capitalism.

In addition to the fact that capitalism is a catalyst, it is also the “clothing for the weather” that has developed in the world now, and the weather is not very comfortable now, which means that we need appropriate “clothing” that will make life in the current climate more comfortable. For example, in winter it is advisable to dress warmly in order to avoid various diseases, and in summer, in order to avoid sunstroke, on the contrary, it is easy to put on.

Capitalism in Belarus does not need to be built from scratch

The same is true in the field of economics. The conditions in which Belarus finds itself dictate that the principles of capitalism be more actively introduced. After all, enterprises that operate according to the principles of the capitalist system have a much faster response time to ongoing changes and a faster reaction to them, which means that the chance of survival for such enterprises is much higher than those that operate according to the old principles.

Capitalism in Belarus does not need to be built from scratch. It just needs to be revived. Many are already doing this, probably the genetic memory makes itself felt. Active participation in the revival of capitalism by broad sections of the population will contribute to the rapid development of Belarus, and in a very short period, which almost every living person can catch, we will see a new Belarus.

If the tradition had not been interrupted, then perhaps we would have already lived in a new Belarus, but fate decreed that we, the living ones, would be engaged in the transformation of Belarus, and this should be an honor for us. We must show our ancestors that we were not born in vain. We must show that the ancestors did not live in vain, that they did everything possible so that we were smarter and stronger than them, and that we finally did what they dreamed of.