6 ms·

How is capitalism a political system?

• algorias 13y ago
  For many modern societies, I would consider the fact that they're free market economies their defining characteristic, rather than their being democracies. The idea of capitalism drives laws and lobby. It hides deep structural problems our societies face, influencing public discourse. A misunderstood idea of what capitalism is supposed to be causes many people think "not my problem", and "those lazy bastards" instead of actually looking at the problems others face with empathy. In summary, it removes human dignity from the center of our considerations.
• sambeau 13y ago
  Capitalism is a human-created system that stratifies and organises the behaviour and status of people. How could that be anything other than a political system? Capitalism is neither eternal nor universal it is merely a system that most humans adhere to currently.
  • humanrebar 13y ago
    Capitalism combines the right to property with the right to return on investment. It's certainly political, but the idea that you should be able to keep your stuff and the proceeds from your work seem universal to me.
    • rtpg 13y ago
      the right to property is not a universal one. If you have a right to live, and we lived in a society where we shared everything, why would you need a right to property? Not saying that it's the way things should work, but very few ideas are universsal
    • erikpukinskis 13y ago
      In the U.S. capitalism goes beyond the right to the property in most places, and says, more or less, that ALL resources are owned and there is no commons. In effect taking away the right to homeland that people used to be born with. Sure, we have a few public parks here and there, but I can't grow food or build a house unless I own property.
    • sambeau 13y ago
      It seems universal to you because it is all you have ever known. If you had lived in a time before the Romans chances are you wouldn't understand money at all, let alone capitalism. If you grew up in any small community throughout most of history you wouldn't have practiced capitalism but, instead, some form of mutualism where there was a degree of shared labour and harvest (e.g. tribes hunting together, preparing food together). Capitalism (with a capital C) is a bit more than just "property with the right to return on investment". I won't repeat it all here but Wikipedia has a detailed explanation of what it is. Be sure to click around the links at the bottom to see that there are many variants of Capitalism and Socialism that share some ideas.
• humanrebar 13y ago
  Capitalism is an extension of the right to property; the details of what counts as rightful property is certainly a political question.
  • notahacker 13y ago
    This. Modern capitalism simply wouldn't function without some rather non-obvious conclusions about property rights (existence of intellectual property, limitation of liability, enforceability of contract law, land as a privately owned tradeable asset, sovereign power participating in the market primarily as a regulator)