Every dollar is a vote

21Sep09

In democracy, constituents cast ballots to choose which politicians take power. In capitalism, consumers spend dollars to choose which companies take power. When it comes to having control over our own lives, living in a capitalist democracy is the most that a person could ask for.

What I find interesting is that ballots and dollars seem to affect each initiative differently. In some cases, it’s ballots that matter; some problems need new laws or new regulations to effect change. In other cases, it’s dollars that solve problems; spending and consumption drive entrepreneurs and capitalists to innovate, restructure, or simply mobilize a workforce. But for really big problems – like health, climate change, and sustainability – it takes a combination of both.

I think the key thing to remember is that both your ballot and your dollars are shaping the world around you. Unfortunately, it’s hard to remember that when we see a cute top / awesome video game / cool knickknack for only $15.