re: What economic system takes care of the middle class best?

Our poor still have iPhones and several pairs of brand new air Jordan’s.

I’d say the Nordic welfare state countries immediately after transitioning from a very very capitalist society. There is a blissful period that undeniably works in many many ways. Long term it creates a lot of problems but I think the evidence is that what they did absolutely helps the middle class short term.

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So you would have to kill off half of all Americans to make it work (and you know what half I mean). But, that would eliminate the middle class altogether, or at least redefine it.

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Yeah I mean by external standards you'd probably be gunning for a small class of elites, a large "middle" class that is upper middle/upper by most of the world's standards, and a small lower class living to middle class standards due to a robust safety net.

It's certainly not possible in the US or any country of size.

The only system that allows for a middle class to even exist?

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You can probably make a good case for homogeneous European-style social democracy

Will there be a superpower sugar daddy that allows your country to spend nothing on defense because it's got you covered?

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It's not just defense we subsidize.

My favorite thing is when socialists say "Well Cuba and Venezuela can't succeed because the US has sanctions and they can't trade with US." to which I always reply "so, you're saying that socialism can't succeed without capitalism to provide basic goods and services?" I usually get called a racist right about that time.

Capitalism takes care of the talented and hard working and rewards them while offering opportunities albeit limited ones to the less talented who can move up if they try hard and make the right decisions but many do not. It rewards and punishes people based on their actions, decisions, and to an extent natural abilities.

Socialism believes the wealthy are privileged and working class is oppressed and seeks to take from those who have and give the basic needs to the lower classes. It is intended to be good but it goes against the natural order and what happens is the poor stay poor and have little incentive to try to do better. You end up with a larger wealth gap in the long run

Communism is where there is no private ownership of business or property. Everything is run by the state and everyone is pretty much poor except the political class

Capitalism - government needs to get out of the way

The one that doesn't drive up inflation a million percent in one year and then blames it on its predecessor.