1986 - Capitalism versus Socialism

Closing Statements: John Ridpath

 
 
 

Mr. Ridpath refutes objectivism is hopelessly utopian. He supports the social requirements of existence. He addresses the philosophical base of both ideologies, the socialists want acceptance, the capitalist only rational thought    

 
 
 
 

JOHN RIDPATH - CLOSING COMMENTS

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John Ridpath:   My concluding remarks, I'd like to address two things said by Mr. Judis. The first was that objectivism hasn’t much to offer society today, it's hopelessly utopian. The literal meaning of utopian means ‘no place’, which is not of this reality. Well, in fact, we have been arguing that it is the socialist ideas that are not of this reality, we are trying to argue that capitalism is a social system that is required by the actual real nature of man, and hardly hopelessly utopian. It is, in fact, of tremendously practical importance that men come to understand their social requirements. I would also like to say that I hope objectivism has a lot to offer society today because in the absence of that I have a very bleak view of what the future will be.

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(LCW)   If I may say so, ditto.

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(JR)   I also want to address the question of still trying to figure out what is the difference between us. Well, I'll tell you what the difference is between us, in essence, the difference between us is the difference between the Enlightenment and the 19th century German Romanticism. Ideas matter, ideas determine the course of human affairs.

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(LCW)   Ideas matter. Discussion determines direction. Philosophy creates possibilities. Contemplation and deliberation forms conclusions and actions are derived from those. To say that capitalism is not an idea is to say the nihilists are completely correct, and that may be a corollary to the socialist doctrine.

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(JR)   This country is the product of a certain set of ideas, it is the product of the 18th-century enlightenment ideas. I love this country. I'm not from this country, I'm a Canadian, but I love this country and I love the values that it stands for. I love the Statue of Liberty and the Declaration of Rights and Disneyland and the Constitution and everything that's unique about America which is actually the product of the best attempt so far to adopt a philosophical outlook which the Enlightenment stands for, the philosophy of Aristotle, of Locke, of Cicero, the philosophy of man's natural rights and that's where we stand.

Where they stand is with the philosophy of Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Marx, the British Fabian socialists, it's a completely different tradition, it's a European tradition of thought. Now, the fact the matter is these two philosophical traditions are at opposite ends to each other, they’re at direct odds with each other and one of these systems at least is false so I'd like to conclude by saying that the benefit to man of discovering true ideas and following them is legion and this country and its greatness is an example of what can happen if you just approximately discover some true ideas but the damage and destruction to man of discovering false ideas are also legion and you have two sets of ideas up before you tonight and it's now up to you to decide which set of ideas deserve your allegiance. Thank you.

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(LCW)   An excellent summary of both camps. I find it disquieting that neither speaker on the socialist side was able to present anything as cogent and poignant. You have to ask yourself why that is, and if these speakers are not able to do so, then what significance and relevance do the ideology and the philosophy hold for the rest of us? I shudder to think of what it would mean to the future of America if it ever achieves ascendancy.

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