Bill Gates Calls for a 'Kinder Capitalism'

Strudelkugel writes "The Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft's Chairman Bill Gates is going to call for a revision of capitalism. He will argue that the economics that drive much of the world should use market forces to address the needs of poor countries, which he feels are currently being ignored. 'We have to find a way to make the aspects of capitalism that serve wealthier people serve poorer people as well,' Mr. Gates will say in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. 'Key to Mr. Gates's plan will be for businesses to dedicate their top people to poor issues — an approach he feels is more powerful than traditional corporate donations and volunteer work. Governments should set policies and disburse funds to create financial incentives for businesses to improve the lives of the poor, he plans to say. Mr. Gates's argument for the potential profitability of serving the poor is certain to raise skepticism, and some people may point out that poverty became a priority for Mr. Gates only after he'd earned billions building up Microsoft. But Mr. Gates is emphatic that he's not calling for a fundamental change in how capitalism works.'"

So is that...

[sircastor]

"Kinder" as "nicer" or "kinder" as in "garten"?

In other news...

[jollyreaper]

Ron Jeremy calls for porn with less spooge.

community response

[192939495969798999]

To Mr. Gates:
Helping poor people sounds like a great idea. There are lots of "poor" (compared to you) people that need help... me for example. Could you shoot me five or six, maybe seven million bucks? Thanks bro!

Re:I'd settle for...

[Mr. Underbridge]

I'd settle for...a kinder version of Microsoft Office!

Tried it, name was Clippy, now residing in the Dumb Idea Retirement Home with Jar Jar Binks.

Kinder Capitolism

[BigBunny]

Is that for pre-school?

Re:Hold on a minute..

[JavaLord]

Didn't Bill make his fortune by being opportunistic and ruthless in business?

Yeah, it's kinda like Hitler calling for a kinder, gentler genocide. Ok, well not exactly, but this story was ripe to be Godwined.

Kinder Capitalism, as in Kinder Surprise?

[quigonn]

Am I the only that was instantly reminded of Kinder Surprise [wikipedia.org] eggs when reading the headline?

Re:Great News...

[QRDeNameland]

I think there may be a bit of misunderstanding here. Gates is to give this speech in Davos, which is in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

"Kinder" means "children" in German.

So it may just be that his "kinder capitalism" may be more along the lines of A Modest Proposal [wikipedia.org].

Re:Great News... I think I woke up in a helicoidal

[JohnBailey]

and inverse universe. What? Gates wants kinder, gentler capitalism? Cant that be like the wolf asking for its prey to exercise and make self beefier, juicer, and more succulent?

But its Bill's new market strategy... Embrace, Cuddle... Extinguish.