Capitalism, as we all know, is a dandy system for creating wealth, but it
doesn't do squat for social justice. No reason to expect it to -- that's not
its job. Its moral imperative is: "Buy low, sell high."
Of course, there are corporate chieftains with social conscience, and many
companies do a great deal of good in their communities beyond providing
employment and making good widgets. But as we are so often reminded by
heroes like "Chainsaw Al" Dunlop, a CEO's job is to increase corporate
profits on behalf of the shareholders, period.
Unregulated capitalism is not a pretty sight, which is why we have labor
laws, environmental regulations, health and safety standards, unions,
much-eroded consumer protection laws, and other checks on the system.
Barring a few glitches, like the fact that corporations keep buying our
government, this is not a bad deal for lots of us, and it's not capitalism's
job to help those who don't have enough power to deal with the system.
It would be helpful, however (from a PR standpoint if nothing else), if
corporations would quit picking on poor people in particular.