The Real Value Of ‘Networking’ In The Business World
Fred Smith discusses "The Real Value of Networking" in Forbes
Beating up on capitalism – and business leaders generally – is all the rage these days. From Elizabeth Warren to Pope Francis, critics of free markets are as vocal as ever. They claim business leaders care only about short-term profits and are willing to sacrifice the welfare of workers and customers to that end. Greed and selfishness, not the good of society, are the market’s driving forces, and can only be curbed by aggressive government intervention.
Seriously? I find it astounding that people continue to accept this caricature. Haven’t we learned anything from the past century’s collectivist experiments?
Capitalism has allowed billions of people to rise out of poverty, brought the luxuries of the elite to the majority of consumers, and dramatically expanded both incomes and life spans. Do most Americans really want to give more power to politicians, add to the already staggering burden of government regulation (now estimated in the U.S. alone at over $1.8 trillion), and empower Washington to control even more aspects of our lives?