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The replier in question was likely talking about the implementation of capitalism in the United States, with it's associated labor laws, taxes, regulations, etc

The replier in question was likely talking about the implementation of capitalism in the United States, with it's associated labor laws, taxes, regulations, etc. Compared to, say, China where it's a more natural extension of global trade creating a capitalist system. Or many European countries with better maternity leave. Some forms of trade will always exist, but there's a fine line between trade, monetary systems, free markets, mercantile capitalism and modern (AKA industrial) capitalism. Which too many people seem to confuse as one. And to answer your original question, of course capitalism isn't sexist, it's a broad economic system. However a capitalist system can suffer from sexist tendencies when the rules (laws, regulations, culture, society, etc.) governing it push it that way, the same any economic system can.

chongli 12y ago
Ahhh. See, I think of capitalism as a global phenomenon with mercantilist states being one set of players and corporations the other. Taxes, regulations etc. are merely tools states use to wage economic war against competing states on behalf of their constituent corporations. In this sense no nation has any real power over capitalism itself. If they enact regulations to try and reduce sexism within their borders they run the risk of reducing their constituent corporations' ability to compete on the global stage.
- eru 12y ago
  > Taxes, regulations etc. are merely tools states use to wage economic war against competing states on behalf of their constituent corporations. It's not that easy. States are not coherent actors. People are watching out for themselves first, for their corporations and states etc second or third. Somewhat more optimistic, different countries have different rules. The power of arbitrate to even force the same level of taxation seems pretty low. (And forcing the same level of sexism seems even harder.)

chongli 12y ago

Ahhh. See, I think of capitalism as a global phenomenon with mercantilist states being one set of players and corporations the other. Taxes, regulations etc. are merely tools states use to wage economic war against competing states on behalf of their constituent corporations. In this sense no nation has any real power over capitalism itself. If they enact regulations to try and reduce sexism within their borders they run the risk of reducing their constituent corporations' ability to compete on the global stage.

eru 12y ago
> Taxes, regulations etc. are merely tools states use to wage economic war against competing states on behalf of their constituent corporations. It's not that easy. States are not coherent actors. People are watching out for themselves first, for their corporations and states etc second or third. Somewhat more optimistic, different countries have different rules. The power of arbitrate to even force the same level of taxation seems pretty low. (And forcing the same level of sexism seems even harder.)