Capitalism Done Right: Work, Morality, and the Common Good

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What if capitalism wasn’t just a “dog-eat-dog” system? In this episode, Chris explores how true capitalism aligns with moral order, human dignity, and the common good. Drawing from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, he shows how work is more than a paycheck—it’s a duty, a path to personal growth, and even a means of sanctification. From ethical economic activity to self-policing communities, learn how genuine capitalism allows people to succeed, fail, create, and contribute while respecting others. A refreshing perspective for anyone frustrated by today’s distorted view of the free market.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Watchdog on Wall Street podcast explaining the news coming
out of the complex worlds of finance, economics, and politics
and the impact it we'll have on everyday Americans. Author,
investment banker, consumer advocate, analyst, and trader Chris.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Markowski Capitalism done the right way. That's one of the
the ridiculous things that's put out there. And I talk
about this often, and it's sometimes like an emails heyir
nuts Hey, capitalism it's all yeah, you gotta it's all
dog eat dog. Everybody's got to destroy one another. And
I've always said here on the program that you know,

(00:38):
I've got a bit of an Adam Smith view. Two
people can sit down at a table, both can walk
away happy. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the experience of many
of our younger people today, and that's why they've got
this really horrible view of what capitalism actually is. I'm

(00:58):
going to share with you some things from my faith
in regards to economic activity and capitalism. I think this
is important. This is from the Catechism the Catholic Church.
The development of economic activity and growth in production are
meant to provide for the needs of human beings. Economic

(01:20):
life is not meant solely to multiply goods produced and
increase profit or power. It's ordered first of all to
the service of persons, of the whole man, and of
the entire human community. Economic activity conducted according to its
own proper methods is to be exercised within the limits

(01:42):
of the moral order, in keeping with social justice, so
as to correspond to God's plan for man. Moral order
we talk about that often doesn't work. Doesn't work unless
there is a more order. You can't have freedom. How

(02:03):
can you have how can you have a free society?
A free society if people cannot police themselves. People. Oh,
we gotta have fewer rules and regulations. Yeah, we do.
But when you have fewer rules and regulations, people have
to police themselves, and oftentimes we obviously we don't have that.

(02:31):
Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image
of God and call to prolong the work of creation
by subduing the earth, both with and for one another. Hence,
work is a duty. Okay, I'm gonna say that again.
Work is a duty. If anyone will not work, let

(02:51):
him not eat. That's right from the Bible. Work honors
the creators' gifts and the talents received from him. It
can also be redemptive by enduring the hardship of work.
In union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the
one crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion
with the Son of God in his redemptive work. He

(03:14):
shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by carrying
the cross daily in the work he has called to accomplish.
Work can be a means of sanctification and a way
of animating earthly realities with the spirit of Christ. How often,
How often have I talked about this on the program

(03:34):
that as human beings, I've always believed that you're not
People are not going to be happy unless they're overcoming
obstacles and achieving goals. It's a reality. It's a reality. Well,
you think these people are are happy, that are stuck
in their rut, that are living off the government, that

(03:55):
are watching Netflix all day. When you watch these things
and on social media and you see this stuff and
people get outraged, what did I tell you here on
the program? Should feel sorry for those people? You think
that they're happy deep down inside? No way, no how

(04:17):
In work, the person exercise and fulfills in part the
potential inscribed in his nature. The primordial value of labor
stems from man himself, its author and its beneficiary. Work
is for man, not man for work. Everyone should be
able to draw from the work the means of providing

(04:39):
for his life and that of his family, and of
serving the human community. Everyone has the right of economic initiative.
Everyone should make legitimate use of his talents to contribute
to the abundance that will benefit all, and to harvest
the just fruits of his labor. He should seek to
observe regulation issued by the legitimate authority for the sake

(05:02):
of the common good. Again, things I talk about, build, create, protect, teach.
All of this stuff. This is what I'm reading from.
It's again from the Catechism. It's kind of like a
rule book for the Catholic Church. And I mentioned it
here on the program. You know, the things I talk

(05:25):
about here on the program is great. When you read
ancient books and all sorts of things, and the things
that you are talking about, they've existed. Febric I said,
I didn't invent any of this stuff. Eventually you wake
up and you actually see, you know, like I said,
you see the pro real force for the trees, or
you want to do a matrix bit Okay, you start

(05:46):
seeing the numbers like Neo did in matrix. Okay, this
is not new. Economic life brings into play different interests,
often opposed to one another. This explains why the conflict
that characterize it arise. Efforts should be made to reduce
these conflicts by negotiation that respects the rights and duties

(06:10):
of each social partner, those responsible for business, enterprise, representatives
of wage earners. Example, we got unions and public authorities
when appropriate. I can go on and on and on
with this, But for all you young people out there,

(06:30):
young people listening to this, people thrown off by capitalism,
what have I said? Okay, it would be great if
we were actually practicing capitalism. Capitalism awesome, man, I mean,
after and on this show have I said I want
my kids to grow up in a world where they
can succeed beyond their wildest dreams and also fail. We

(06:52):
talked about creative destruction, all of these different concepts and
it all plays into this. It's not about getting over
on someone else. Unfortunately, we have way too much of
that today. We've got the government getting deeply involved in
the business world rather than playing referee again. You know,

(07:16):
that's something we've talked about, bantered about here on the program.
You know, is Trump now a socialist? Are we doing
socialist tendencies and a bit of corporatism to some other things.
I will get into that in another podcast. But the
reality is, people we need to police ourselves. Been amazing
when we were kids about this way. We're kids and

(07:41):
we be out in the backyard, backyard, and I get
fond memories right now in backyard and what was actually
the side of my house and were playing with the ball,
playing with football, and you'd have different you know, rules,
different types of with football games, and you'd hit a
ball and would happen. It would land on the roof

(08:04):
of the house, bounce off that hit a tree and
someone you would catch it and that never happened before,
and you'd be like, whoa hold on, hold your horses.
And then you'd have a discussion and you'd figure out
how it would play out. Sometimes you do a do over,
or you would create a new rule. If that happens
next time, well then we'll do this and you police yourselves,

(08:27):
because if you couldn't police yourselves, okay, everyone would get
angry and all the fun would be over. You could
play the game, everyone would leave, you know, Cartman on
South Park. Excuse you, guys, I'm going home. No, no,
you know amazingly your kids could figure it out, but
we can't figure it out as adults' that's not capital

(08:51):
when you're ruining the game. Okay, I want to call
it the game of capitalism. I have of game the
system in of itself, because you're that much of a
greedy son of a m where you've got to have
it all and you've got to do it by cheating
or you got to pay off a politician or whatever
it may be. How is that making life any better

(09:15):
here in this country? Just asking watch Dog on Wall
Street dot Com.