Capitalism, as we understand it today, is a relatively recent development in human history. For the vast majority of human existence, societies have been structured around other forms of economic organization like tribalism, feudalism, or mercantilism. Capitalism is not the default but a system that evolved over time in response to specific historical, technological, and social conditions.

There are multiple successful economies worldwide that blend elements of capitalism with other economic systems, such as the Nordic model of social democracy, which combines free market capitalism with a strong welfare state. If capitalism were the default, we would not see such variety in economic systems.

[+] blackconservative@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

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[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Do you actually not know the difference between free trade and capitalism? Capitalism is when investors own the means of production in order to extract profit from a disparity between price and cost (including labor wages). There are plenty of free trade models which don't utilize capitalism, they are not the same thing.

Grog (the worker) owned his own axe (means of production) and traded the wood he gathered for shiny shells (free trade). Capitalism would be if Bunga (capitalist) owned the axe and then traded the wood Grog gathered himself, giving Grog some shells while keeping the rest (profit).

[–] yarr@lemmy.fmhy.ml 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

People have bemoaned capitalism as long as it has existed. When do you think this "golden age" of capitalism was when everyone was universally content with the state of affairs?

[+] blackconservative@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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[–] yarr@lemmy.fmhy.ml 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so. To be GOVERNED is to be at every operation, at every transaction noted, registered, counted, taxed, stamped, measured, numbered, assessed, licensed, authorized, admonished, prevented, forbidden, reformed, corrected, punished. It is, under pretext of public utility, and in the name of the general interest, to be place[d] under contribution, drilled, fleeced, exploited, monopolized, extorted from, squeezed, hoaxed, robbed; then, at the slightest resistance, the first word of complaint, to be repressed, fined, vilified, harassed, hunted down, abused, clubbed, disarmed, bound, choked, imprisoned, judged, condemned, shot, deported, sacrificed, sold, betrayed; and to crown all, mocked, ridiculed, derided, outraged, dishonored. That is government; that is its justice; that is its morality.

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, 1851

I guess he was ahead of his time; able to criticize capitalism before it was invented!