How the system was intended to function is only relevant to the mistakenness of the popular conception of its ethical obligations insofar as that conception doe

How the system was intended to function is only relevant to the mistakenness of the popular conception of its ethical obligations insofar as that conception does (or should) rely on beliefs about that founding intent. Generally, it does not: it's moral intuition—and when that intuition has lined up so well with the realpolitiks for most of our lifetimes, I strain to see the argument it should, either.