Which “Ism” Benefits Humanity the Most?

Philip Kotler

Today there are so many problems pressing down on individuals and society. Many individuals are depressed, anxious, stressed, and filled with doubt or phobia. Many have harmful addictions such as alcoholism, substance abuse, gambling and other mental and emotional disorders.

Society itself is frantically coping with climate change, bloody international wars, widespread corruption, and growing immorality.

Most people around the world live under two systems. Capitalism exists to serve people’s economic interests. Democracy exists to serve their political interests. Today there is growing criticisms of each system’s performance. I raised several criticisms of Capitalism in my book Confronting Capitalism (see Figure 1. I raised several criticisms of Democracy in my book, Democracy in Decline (see Figure 2). More people are losing confidence in these two systems. Are these two systems really operating to contribute to the Common Good?

Figure 1. Weaknesses of Capitalism

1. Proposes little or no solution to persisting poverty.

2. Generates a growing level of income and wealth inequality.

3. Fails to pay a living wage to billions of workers.

4. May not provide enough human jobs in the face of growing automation.

5. Doesn’t charge businesses with the full social costs of their activities.

6. Exploits the environment and natural resources in the absence of regulation.

7. Creates business cycles and economic instability.

8. Emphasizes individualism and self-interest at the expense of community and the commons.

9. Encourages high consumer debt and leads to a growing financially driven rather than producer-driven economy.

10. Let’s politicians and business interests collaborate to subvert the economic interests of the majority of citizens.

11. Favors short-run profit planning over long-run investment planning.

12. We should have regulations regarding product quality, safety, truths in advertising, and anticompetitive behavior.

13. Tends to focus narrowly on GDP growth.

14. Needs to bring social values and happiness into the market equation.

Philip Kotler, Confronting Capitalism: Real Solutions for a Troubled Economic System, Amacom, New York, 2015, pp. 12–13.

Figure 2. Weaknesses of Democracy

1. Low voter literacy, turnout, and engagement.

2. Shortage of highly qualified and visionary candidates.

3. Blind belief in American exceptionalism.

4. Growing public antipathy toward government.

5. Two-party gridlock preventing needed legislation.

6. Growing role of money in politics.

7. Gerrymandering empowering incumbents to get re-elected forever.

8. Caucuses and primaries leading candidates to adopt more extreme positions.

9. Continuous conflict between the President and Congress.

10. Continuous conflict between the federal and state governments.

11. The difficulty of passing new amendments.

12. The difficulty of developing a sound foreign policy.

13. Making government agencies more accountable.

Philip Kotler, Democracy in Decline: Rebuilding its Future, Thousand Oaks, California, 2016, p.8.

Many citizens in the world are discussing a variety of other systems. Would citizens be better off with Libertarianism, Collectivism, Fascism or Humanism? Which system would contribute the most to the Common Good? Which system would provide the most benefit to most people?

Libertarianism

The name Libertarianism conveys the central concept, that of Liberty. This system lauds and applauds the idea that every citizen is free to hold any beliefs and carry out any behavior that they see as benefiting themselves. The person can be a theist or an atheist, a worker or a loafer, a labor organizer or a hermit. But this freedom is not absolute. John Stuart Mill, Britain’s famous philosopher, said in his On Liberty that “individuals should be free to pursue whatever serves their self-interest, so long as it doesn’t harm others.” Mill drew on the idea of utilitarianism, that actions have consequences, and that a government’s primary goal should be protecting its citizens‘ individual liberty. Citizens must have the right to free speech and free assembly.

Libertarianism is the foundation of early Capitalism. Anyone can start a business, hire workers to produce a product or a service, freely set its price and its public message, and take responsibility for its availability and delivery. All the profits belong to the owner and investors who financed the business.

The late contemporary philosopher, Ayn Rand, favored absolute liberty. In her famous book, Fountainhead, Rand created a hero, Howard Roark, an architect who refused to construct buildings that are popular with the public. He will design highly individualized buildings that fit his idea of great architecture. He would rather starve than make buildings that please popular taste. When Roark found that one of his buildings was completed with an unpermitted change, Roark chose to destroy the building because it violated his freedom of design. Ayn Rand then went on to publish Atlas Shrugged, the story of powerful industrialists who owned major businesses (such as railroads, steel, etc.) who hated government regulations and decided to withdraw their holdings from society and build a separate new world where they could rule in full freedom.

Underlying Libertarianism is the concept of individualism. Individualism is a social, political, and philosophical doctrine that emphasizes the moral worth, autonomy, and rights of the individual over those of the collective group, society, or state.

At its core, individualism values:

• Personal freedom and self-reliance: Individuals are seen as independent and capable of making their own choices.
• Moral independence: Each person is responsible for defining their own values, beliefs, and goals.
• Limited interference from authority: Government, religion, and social institutions should minimize constraints on individual action, except to protect others’ rights.

The concept of individualism took shape during the Renaissance (14th–17th centuries) when thinkers began emphasizing personal achievement, self-expression, and human dignity. However, it truly emerged as a defined idea during the Enlightenment (17th–18th centuries) with philosophers like John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant advancing the view that individuals have natural rights and the capacity for reason and moral autonomy.

The term “individualism” became more commonly used in the 19th century, especially in reaction to the rise of centralized political power and industrial society. Alexis de Tocqueville was among the first to write extensively about individualism in a political and social context in Democracy in America (1835), distinguishing it from mere selfishness.

Individualism is deeply embedded in many Western traditions, particularly in Enlightenment thought, liberal democracy, and capitalist economic systems.

Countries with high levels of individualism typically emphasize personal freedom, autonomy, and self-determination. According to cultural studies like Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, the most individualistic countries include United States, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. These nations prioritize individual rights, merit-based achievement, and personal responsibility, in contrast to more collectivist cultures found in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

When practiced in moderation, individualism offers a range of benefits to people and societies:

• Personal freedom and autonomy allow people to define their lives on their own terms.
• Innovation and creativity thrive when individuals are encouraged to think independently.
• Entrepreneurship and economic vitality often grow in societies that reward initiative and risk-taking.
• Democratic governance is strengthened by the protection of individual rights and liberties.

However, when taken to extremes, individualism can come at a cost:

• Social isolation and a weakening of community bonds.
• Disregard for the vulnerable or disadvantaged, justified in the name of meritocracy or self-interest.
• Erosion of shared values and loss of civic responsibility.
• Materialism and consumerism, where self-worth is tied to possessions rather than character or contribution.
• Political disengagement, as collective action is replaced by personal retreat.

Does Individualism contribute greatly to the Common Good? I think that the answer is yes. A flourishing society is not one that suppresses the individual, nor one that elevates personal liberty at the expense of others. The best societies value individualism tempered by a strong sense of the common good. This balance allows people to live freely and participate meaningfully in civic life. It supports rights while encouraging responsibilities. It invites diversity while sustaining unity. It echoes the idea of civic virtue — that freedom reaches its highest form when used to build a just and compassionate society. As we face the challenges of the 21st century — climate change, inequality, and alienation, the path forward may lie in renewing our commitment to both the individual and the whole.

However, we should examine three other systems: Collectivism, Fascism, and Humanism

Collectivism

The opposite of individualism is collectivism. Collectivism emphasizes the importance of the group — whether family, tribe, community, or nation — over the individual. In collectivist cultures or systems:

• Social harmony, group loyalty, and mutual obligations are prioritized.
• Identity is often derived from one’s social roles and relationships.
• Decisions are made with collective interest in mind. It may discourage dissent and limit personal freedom.

Nations marked by collectivist thought include China, Russia, and North Korea. Much collectivist theory came from Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky and was loosely called Communism.

Fascism

Fascism describes an authoritarian nationalistic system of government and social organization. Normally there is an exalted leader — such as Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini — who the public adores, trusts and follows without dissent. More recently, we have witnessed the rise of authoritarian leaders in such countries as Russia, China, North Korea, Hungary, and Turkey.

These leaders assert absolute authority and control over subordinates and demand unquestionable obedience from subordinates. Subordinates are expected to complete tasks under very close supervision. The leader responds to the subordinates either with punishment or reward. Authoritarian leaders make their decisions independently with little or no input from others. There is little group discussion. The leader uses fear to get things done. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump appointed only loyalists to cabinet positions and has increasingly interfered with private decisions made by companies, government agencies, universities, media, and scientific organizations compelling them to make payments or face legal actions.

Humanism

Humanism is quite the opposite of fascism. Humanism attaches primary importance to humans and human value. Humanism stresses the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasizes common human needs, and seeks rational ways of solving human problems. Humanists support social action to uplift lives and society. Humanists have empathy and compassion for others and wish for their happiness and well-being. Humanists practice the Golden Rule and they respect people independently of race, religion or sexual orientation. Humanists support human and civil rights, personal autonomy and religious tolerance. Prominent public figures such as Isaac Asimov, John Dewey, Erich Fromm, Paul Kurtz, and Carl Sagan were all humanists.

Conclusion

Many people live under the two systems of Capitalism and Democracy. These two systems have replaced monarchy and have contributed greatly to human progress. However, many people are now raising questions about whether Capitalism and Democracy are still performing well. This article points out several weaknesses in Capitalism and Democracy. One course of action is to stay with these two systems and work hard to reduce their shortcomings and improve their performance. The other course of action is to vote for a different system such as Collectivism, Fascism or Humanism. Collectivism is the choice in a large part of Asia where solidarity is regarded as more desirable than individualism. Fascism is a growing tendency in countries that either vote for or are taken over by an authoritarian leader. Humanism is a system that works best when it is joined by greatly improved systems of Capitalism and Democracy. My guess is that most readers will remain trustful of Capitalism and Democracy and dedicate their time and resources to build a Humane Capitalism and a Humane Democracy.