Shiller 20 [Robert Shiller, 11-2-2020, "Capitalism promotes innovation in a free market economy," No Publication, https://www.parlia.com/a/capitalism-promotes-innovation, smarx, HHW]
Capitalism promotes innovation in a free market economy A free market encourages innovation because people have incentives to work harder,which leads to higher productivity. Innovation allows societies to develop rapidly and gives people a better quality of life. Capitalism promotes and rewards innovation from people and companies. Innovation is encouraged for both goods and services at all levels.
Companies invest in research and development in an effort to create better products so that they can sell more and increase their profits. This leads to huge advances, especially in fields like medicine and technology. The system also rewards companies for constantly making improvements to already existing products and technologies.[1]
Capitalism creates an incentive for companies to constantly strive to keep improving because that is how they can earn the most money. These continual improvementsbenefit consumers because it leads to more choices of goods. Due to the competitive nature of capitalism, citizens also have an incentive to work harder. People know that with creativity and hard work (the backbone of innovation) they can become the next Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos.
This results in a culture of productivity that increases overall efficiency, allowing for civilizations to develop rapidly as new technological advancements are being made.
Efficiency and innovation through capitalism protect the environment
Nicolas Loris 19 [Nicolas Loris, 10-23-2019, "Breathe Free: Capitalism Helps Protect the Environment," Heritage Foundation, https://www.heritage.org/environment/commentary/breathe-free-capitalism-helps-protect-the-environment, HHW]
Arecent Rasmussen poll found 20% of voters feel we should eliminate capitalism to protect the environment. That’s like saying we should eliminate teachers to improve education. Truth be told, capitalism has helped cleanse our planet — improving living standards while protecting the environment. Rather than eliminate capitalism, policymakers need to unleash it. Markets incentivize efficiency by rewarding people for coming up with ways to do more or do better with less. People choose — and businesses make — more efficient products because it saves them money while delivering what customers want. Over the past decade, market forces have driven a massive transition within the energy industry. In 2008, coal provided roughly half of the country’s electricity generation. Now, coal’s share is about a quarter. Increased production of natural gas has driven energy bills and emissions downward.
In direct response to cheap gas, the Nuclear Energy Institute organized nuclear power plants nationally to find operating efficiencies that have reduced costs by 19%, saving consumers $1.6 billion and keeping emissions-free electricity in the marketplace. The energy industry is far from the only sector that has made positive economic and environmental contributions. For instance, the cement industry is collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to explore how to refine its processes in ways that will improve resiliency, reduce emissions and save lives. Investments in cement, steel, plastic and other building materials will make our houses and highways sturdier and our products more durable — with a smaller environmental footprint. All of these activities result directly from free enterprise — companies providing consumers with the goods and services they want while using fewer resources and emitting fewer unwanted emissions. As a country prospers, its citizens are better able to care for the environment and reduce pollutants emitted from industrial growth. In fact, The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom and Yale University’s Environmental Performance Index show a strong correlation between a country’s environmental performance and economic freedom (i.e., its embrace of capitalism).
Capitalism leads to economic success and sustainability – a switch away would condemn our future. Capitalism is the only way to provide incentive for entrepreneurship