Last Friday, the Commander in Chief of the United States sent forth several tweets in response to China’s announcement that it would impose $75 billion in tariffs on American products. In one of those tweets, the Commander stated:
Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing your companies HOME and making your products in the USA.
When a Commander issues an order, his subordinates are expected to comply, or else they will be punished.
To many, Donald Trump is an icon of capitalism. In truth, Donald Trump is nothing of the sort. Trump is an anti-capitalist.
Capitalism is a system that recognizes and protects individual rights, including property rights. Trump has no respect for property rights. As evidence, consider his willingness to use eminent domain for both personal and political gain.
A capitalist embraces the trader principle–the voluntary exchange of value for value. An anti-capitalist embraces coercion as the means to achieve his ends. A capitalist respects the freedom of individuals to act on their own judgment. An anti-capitalist cringes at the thought of independent judgment and seeks to render it moot.
A capitalist is willing to state his case and allow others to agree or disagree. He is willing to allow those who disagree to go their own way. He does not seek to force others to accept his vision or buy his products.
In contrast,the anti-capitalist doesn’t care about rational arguments. He doesn’t try to convince others that he is right; he will force them to act as if he is right. And the Commander in Chief of the United States wields incredible force.
The Commander has issued an order. Those who have the audacity to defy that order will be punished. Those who disagree with him and do not “immediately start looking for an alternative to China” will be punished. And the Commander has the power to do it.