Right - you were being SO civil when you raised your very rhetorical question. I know tone is hard over the internet, but you should still try, too, rather than point fingers.

And on your point, you're not wrong. Do you have anything to add, though, rather than snark?

Be civil - what's YOUR definition of functional? Mine requires strong government regulation and taxation to keep potential abusers in line for the benefit of a working-class - not necessarily to the detriment of the upper class, though. That's broad strokes, obviously, but capitalism itself only functions on competition. Itself, it bleeds nations dry. For the people who didn't sign up to be CEOs and entrepreneurs, capitalism NEEDS a middle-man - social systems and protections - so that capitalism doesn't start to cannibalize itself so that a middle class can survive and help support the bloody capitalists.

It's not perfect (or ideal) in any means. But if Capitalism will "function," it'll be as a bloated farce on wonky legs until someone with interests outside "want money, me now" intervenes.