[Buddha-l] Karma and capitalism

[curt]

Dan Lusthaus wrote:

>So it seems some are willing to concede (as 2000+ years of Buddhist history
>would compellingly and decisively indicate) that Buddhism is compatible with
>mercantilism, but for some reason, not capitalism. Unfortunately the ad hoc
>definition of capitalism they rely on for this already questionable
>distinction seems drawn more from Michael Douglas in "Wall Street" (with a
>dose of Ayn Rand) than from Adam Smith or basic capitalist theory, which
>aims at the sublimation and redirection of desire for the general good....
>
I am quite fascinated by this description of "basic capitalist theory" 
as being aimed at "the sublimation and redirection of desire for the 
general good...." Is this something that Adam Smith said? It sounds more 
likely to come from some modern supply-side apologist of the moralizing 
variety - like maybe Jack Kemp or Bill (how to reduce crime) Bennett - 
although the phraseology is a bit fanciful for either one of them. I 
would very much like to know the actual source for this description of 
"basic capitalist theory".

- Curt