I don't think you can have benevolent communism under any circumstances; if the people running it were good, it wouldn't be communism to begin with.

Capitalism can be good as long as there are enough good people willing to defend the good parts of the system...Capitalism seems to be to be a reflection of human nature...working when it's good, and horrible when it is evil (corrupt or subverted by the Left)
Consumersism can drive an economy, or it can drive a person towards greed

In any case, Rich is right on this point, that choice to be good or evil is an individual responsibility.