That would be communism. Socialism is (partially) at work in European countries where we have captialism at the base, but using that to feed socialist programs.
Yeah, they've been tearing a lot of it down lately, but still
Or it's because many grocery chains used COVID as a reason or excuse to raise prices and refuse to lower them despite supply chains healing, during a time where literally everything a modern human needs to survive becomes nearly unreashable expensive.
But sure, it's because cops aren't shooting enough shiplifters.
A lot of it is because of need. The lower rungs of our society have been pushed to the point where the risk of being caught and jailed is less of a driver than hunger. The social fabric is unravelling. I just hired someone and I’m giving them a living wage and I’m getting suspicion in return.
It's the obvious followup to your statement "shoplifting is happening because of capitalism. Period." You were very clear and I think my question is very clear.
Your logic is right, but what he's meaning is that capitalism exacerbates poverty. When homes, food, healthcare become commodities the people that can't afford the new norm HAVE to do what they can to survive.
Yes, some-to-most shoplifters may be shoplifting for less than survival reasons, but in the same way many would argue that capital punishment risks the many at the expense of a few, villifying and prosecuting shoplifters risks the legitimate survival of a lot of people.
Shoplifting is happening because the economy is fucked, and plenty of people see the risk of shoplifting to be worth the reward of access to the things they need.
You can be a compassionate person, and work fix this problem by offering better safety nets and access to human needs to the needy, or you can take the fascist route and demand expansion of the state to punish the poor even further.