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WR810 t1_j6lvul6 wrote

Reply to comment by Gulbahar-00 in TIL that between 1895 and 1908 the population of the Belgian Congo declined by between 2 and 13 million due to colonial brutality and diseases caused by colonialism. by hetkleinezusje

> Leopold was capitalist practiced mercantilism.

There are plenty of bad things you can say about capitalism but when you have state monopolies, captured markets, and lack free trade that's mercantilism.

Edit: do you really believe the overseas private property of a European monarch was practicing capitalism?

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CanadianGurlfren t1_j6m5idz wrote

Imperialism is the armed wing of capitalism

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WR810 t1_j6nayjm wrote

Imperialism isn't unique to capitalism.

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CanadianGurlfren t1_j6nlgsn wrote

But it is heavily correlated.

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WR810 t1_j6nsueb wrote

It's takes a special kind of tunnel vision to look at all the wars of conquest and say "privately owned means" is at fault. It's as ridiculous as the "I did that" Biden stickers on gas pumps.

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Yosemitejohn t1_j6mxzl0 wrote

What the hell is that even supposed to mean?

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CanadianGurlfren t1_j6n2tmr wrote

Do you know who Smedley Butler is?

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Yosemitejohn t1_j6n6qz8 wrote

Yes, I do. Do you know what Smedley Butler has nothing to do with the Belgian Congo and the Belgian monarchy?

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CanadianGurlfren t1_j6najmz wrote

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

LTG Smedley Butler, USMC

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Yosemitejohn t1_j6my17b wrote

You're on a mainstream subreddit, and you are using words that people don't understand. Good on you for trying, though.

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WR810 t1_j6nra93 wrote

Redditors when they learn there are more economic systems than capitalism & communism and socialism.

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