Why do people say they hate capitalism when they mean fascism?

[michel]

I find that when most people say they hate capitalism they usually hate the part of our system that is fascist/socialist in nature. America technically is not really a capitalist free market country. An example would be when people complain about large corporations getting tax breaks and special incentives which is the complete opposite of what would happen in a capitalist system. Some people say that's one of the inevitable side effects of capitalism but by doing such things a country is technically no longer a capitalist country. So do people just hate capitalism because they believe that such an ideal system could not exist. But couldn't the same argument be used against socialism which also has never been done correctly?

[Vulgartown366]

Because they mean capitalism.

People don't complain about corporations getting tax breaks. They complain about corporations getting profits while workers get nothing.

[Paradox]

I think the US and China have recognised a need for balance. The Chinese recognise the benefits of capitalism and Americans recognise the benefits of moderating the excesses and flaws of capitalism. People need a mixture of incentive and a safety net.

[Smooth Come Up]

Lots of "isms" here that only serve to obfuscate the issue.

In the U.S., for example, the theories advocating free-market capitalism suffered much from tax-payer bail-outs of "too big to fail" banks and Wall Street executives who essentially privatized their profits, but socialized their losses (e.g., tax-payers saved Bank of America...who turned around and foreclosed on thousands of mortgages of home owners who'd paid to keep them in business).

Also, you couldn't find more purely "socialist" programs, anywhere in the world, than the benefits provided for veterans or social security recipients in this country.

As far as "fascism," the closest example we have in this country is most obviously related to the Supreme Court's recognition of corporations as "entities," thereby ascribing to them the same rights as individual human beings, and allowing them unrestricted freedom to commodify the legislative process.

In short, each of these "isms" are alike in that they may provide both benefit, and detriment to any society that doesn't check and balance its own interests.