She Said - "Capitalism Couldn't Exist Without Communism & the Industrial Revolution Needed Slavery"

Not long ago someone told me that capitalismWell, I think Eli Whitney, might differ with that
could have never done so well withoutopinion on the Industrial Revolution and African
communism's help, then further mentioned thatSlave Trade, which was totally unfortunate.
without slavery our Industrial Revolution couldIncidentally, I toured the George Mason's museum
have never occurred. Interesting assertion, buton Mason's Neck in VA and walked away saying;
let's discuss this for a moment shall we?"Wow, that guy was a total gentleman and a
Now then, as a studier of Ayn Rand's novels, Karlhypocrite." And yes, I too understand that real
Marx; Das Capital and the works of Adam Smith,slavery or economic slavery is only different in
Milton Friedman and such, I see the mixing of allname, philosophically speaking.
the various forms of economic situations inThe abuses of the builders of the Continental
human civilization. Also, having played in the gameRailroad using Chinese to dynamite in tunnels and
as an entrepreneur, I realize that "truethe terrible conditions of workers Irish workers
free-enterprise" does not exist in reality, hasand such is well-noted. Anyway, I see those
never existed and probably cannot existasserting such a position that the Industrial
considering the primate politics of this presentRevolution was much about slavery - are using
upright walking carbon-based biped.points in history to sum up a specific view of it,
In full disclosure, I guess I might add that I am anot necessarily the reality or even the truth.
member of the Ayn Rand Institute, but certainlyRealize too, that such a view is the conclusion
not opposed to well-thought out diverse opinionsthat you believe in and many might side with you
that contradict the underlining principles of freeon. So, that's all good, sounds interesting, but does
markets. And Fredrick "Winslow" Taylor is in mynot make it so. There is an interesting book on
family tree also, so on the debate about unionsthis subject by AB Crane and yes, it is probably a
and organized labor, perhaps I fall on a differentgood read, like Dilorenzo's "How Capitalism Saved
side of the equation than most when discussingAmerica" on the other side of the debate?
this topic.Before adopting such a position on this debate,
Could Capitalism exist without communism?those on both side need to prepare better
Certainly, just like communism can exist withoutarguments. And well, I just think there is more to
capitalism. But, in pure definitions, neither is pureit than that is all, but I am sure both sides can
and both use similar strategies, although no onerally their troops and have plenty of sources for
really wants to discuss this, as one either hastheir conclusion. Still, in the end I believe the entire
adopted the one or the other as their pure belieftheory that: "Capitalism Couldn't Exist Without
system. Could the industrial revolution haveCommunism & The Industrial Revolution
occurred without slavery?Needed Slavery to Survive" is pure poppycock.