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In the absence of capitalism there were more openly worse power imbalances such as slavery. Serfs. Selling of children. Communism. Give me the power imbalan
by eric4smith 5y ago
In the absence of capitalism there were more openly worse power imbalances such as slavery.
Serfs.
Selling of children.
Communism.
Give me the power imbalance that rewards me instead of forced labor any day.
- karpierz 5y agoWhy are you contrasting slavery with capitalism when it was, and still is part of capitalism?
- tantalor 5y agoYeah, it is literally called the "slave trade".
- mc32 5y agoSo there were no slaves under barter or pre-barter economies? Armies didn't take people and put them to work if they didn't kill them? All of this precedes "capitalism" and also existed in non-capitalist economies. What were gulags and other such mechanisms if not enslavement with added mortality?
- rjsw 5y agoAre there any examples of barter or pre-barter economies ? I thought there was evidence that money was invented fairly early to be able to keep track of what goods or services had been exchanged.
- karpierz 5y agoSlavery isn't particular to capitalism, but definitely is not in contrast to it or separate from it. Even if you relegate it to far-off countries and simply import goods from them without asking how the goods were made.
- spoonjim 5y ago“Capitalism” as a concept (rather than a reality) does not allow for nonconsensual transactions like slavery. (Unless you sell yourself into slavery to get money for someone else).
- karpierz 5y agoCommunism as a concept doesn't allow for power imbalances. I don't think some idealized version of capitalism is particularly useful here.