To the editor:

The concept of capitalism seems to be taking an unfair hit lately. Many years ago, I came across an interesting simple cartoon illustrating the difference between the various “isms” in the world.  

Let’s begin with a person who owns two cows as a result of his/her hard work. Socialism is when you have two cows and the government requires you to share your wealth and give one cow to your neighbor without payment. Communism is when you have two cows and the government takes both cows from you without payment and gives you the milk. Fascism is when you have two cows and the government takes both cows from you without payment and sells you the milk. Nazism is when you have two cows and the government takes both cows from you and shoots you dead. Stimulusism is when you have two cows and the government takes both cows from you as taxes, shoots one dead, milks the other and then throws the milk away.

Capitalism is when you have two cows and you sell one cow and buy a bull. This enables other folks to buy the offspring from you thus creating the self-sustainable process of buying, investing and selling to still more folks in a free market setting.  Jobs are created, and the economy grows. The important thing to understand is that capitalism and ownership of property are the practical expressions of liberty.