Justice for the Poor?

Can the Old Testament help us in keeping the excesses of capitalism in check? How can a book that goes on about "e;justice and righteousness,"e; but says "e;there will always be poor people in the land"e; and accepts slavery have anything to say to us about social justice? Did kings of Israel draft their subjects--and which subjects--for forced labor? What does it mean when the Psalms say God is c...