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Capitalism and Human Nature

Conservatives and Liberals tend to defend capitalism by asserting that it is natural if not a reflection of human nature.
However when it is placed under any degree of scrutiny, this assertion reveals itself to be completly false!
Capitalism is a fairly recent phenomenon. Centuries before the Industrial Revolution precolonial and indigenious populations followed socialist and anarchist principles.
Even putting that aside human behaviour is diverse and has varied so much over the course of our history that the concept of calling any set of characteristics "Human Nature" is absurd.
The only consistent characteristic has been the abillity to adapt to our circumstances.
Therefore if the current system incentivizes greed people are logically going to be more greedy.
It stands to reason, then, that if humanity will adapt to the circumstances it is put under, we should adopt a system that would provide the most good to the most people.
As we have seen throughout it's existance Capitalism is not that system!
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SW-User
Capitalism as we know it is a recent phenomenon precisely because of the industrial revolution and the vast progress we have made in the past 200-300 years. As an economic system, it is still relatively new in that it doesn't go back more than 400 years. To that extent, you simply can't compare capitalism to systems that were in place prior to the last four centuries.

We live in a vastly different era with very different needs, desires, and expectations.
SW-User
@SW-User I didn't compare it to prior systems I merely pointed out it's relation to something many call "Human Nature".
These desires you are talking about are a product of our environment (capitalism for example created the desire for cheap, mass produced goods, etc)
I'm not saying the progress we made is bad but Capitalism has outlived it's usefulness a long time ago.
SW-User
@SW-User
Capitalism is a fairly recent phenomenon. Centuries before the Industrial Revolution precolonial and indigenious populations followed socialist and anarchist principles.

You did compare it to systems that you think existed in the past. However, the reality is that your view only applies to a select few populations as capitalist principles have always existed in some way. We didn't have the exact system we do now because a.) we only had the industrial revolution 200+ years ago and b.) we have much larger populations now. We have massive populations that require mass production, and we have the modern technology to make this possible and ensure that the needs of populations in the 21st century are met. Clearly, you think these needs are an example of "greed" but they are really just a demonstration of how people have had to adjust to the times and its requirements. If people didn't, they would have to move away from society and become self-sufficient. This requires a lot of hard work and effort, and some financial backing (i.e you need to start by having money that you've saved) and you need to have learned a reasonable amount about survival and self-sufficiency beforehand. Also, you won't be truly able to "run away" from capitalism as you will still have to use some capitalist goods to survive and you will need to own the land you're living on.

In terms of history, most societies have had a social hierarchy, and even systems that could be considered capitalist. For example, ancient Greece and ancient Rome had class systems in place and people would trade goods for their services. Ancient Egypt was also capitalist with regard to the way it was structured. That is quite literally ancient history though...it is your commentary on modern times and how capitalism has manifested now that I consider relevant because you have shown a complete lack of understanding for why this system is in place.
SW-User
@SW-User Again I did not compare the systems I merely pointed out that other types of societal and economical life existed prior to capitalism.
You seem to equate Capitalism with modern technology. When I wrote about mass produced goods I wasn't refering to food, medecine and other important products.
The progress humanity made is not necessarily tied to a hierarchial economic system like Capitalism. We can utilize advanced technology in better ways. I mean there is no need for hunger on this world yet greed kept humanity from distribuating goods fairly.

Ancient Greece and Rome had class systems in place and can be described as "slaveholder societies" and trading goods for services is something I consider as quite a good system.

I believe you misunderstand my intention. I certainly believe that with the progress we archieved today we can built a better system and future but this post was just about the argument of "human nature"
SW-User
I do understand why we evolved away from feudalism. Historically Capitalism was an important step away from feudal society but it's time to change our current system to one benefitting all since we need to do that in order for mother nature and mankind to strive
Ryannnnnn · 31-35, M
@SW-User Exactly. If you run life like monopoly it has the same results. A small percent who have everything and a giant percentage who have next to nothing. It's further exacerbated and illustrated clearly by what energy and oil companies are doing atm, raking in billions of record profits while people can't afford to heat their homes or feed their kids.

This is what capitalism leads to, while somebody builds a superyacht for hundreds of millions, others starve and lose their homes due to inflation and wage freezes so those company owners can be rich. This isn't a society, it's a shell of a society that is extracting money from the poorest to give to the richest. They have the power to withhold resources and pressure politicians for the policies and tax breaks they want even though they don't need them, it's broken and it's been broken since it started. Even as a younger person it was obvious to me, so many people just think it's the way its "supposed" to be because they've been brainwashed.
Ryannnnnn · 31-35, M
@SW-User It's insane to me that people think this is the end all be all system we're going to live by forever, it fucking breaks every few years 🤣