Letter: Pure capitalism cannot survive

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Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999 | 9:26 a.m.

Well, how about Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Norway and Denmark for a start?

Now I will challenge the gentleman or anybody else to name any civilized, industrial country that has put up with a dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest, social Darwinist, capitalist dictatorship for any length of time (usually just long enough to throw it out through violent revolution).

The fact is, a system like this cannot survive in a democracy where the people have the right to vote because such a system can only result in opulence for a few and deprivation for the many.

The United States has survived as it is only because the people have voted to blunt the sharp edges of capitalism with liberal policies here and there.

There, Mr. talk show host, is your answer, plain and simple.

DANIEL OLIVIER