THREAD
The history of capitalism, part 3
⚠️ EDUCATION ⚠️
The point of this third thread is to show how libertarianism/anarchism is actually against the statist system known as capitalism, that is falsely referred to as a free market.
The history of capitalism, part 3
⚠️ EDUCATION ⚠️
The point of this third thread is to show how libertarianism/anarchism is actually against the statist system known as capitalism, that is falsely referred to as a free market.
Just for recap, the first thread was about my skepticism of the use of capitalism which is connected to another thread on socialism, communism, fascism, and Nazism at the very end.
https://twitter.com/NVoluntaryist/status/1332810275490172929
The second thread details the libertarian/anarchist opposition to capitalism from people like Spooner, Tucker, Proudhon, Bakunin, and more.
https://twitter.com/NVoluntaryist/status/1354904247570100225
In this thread, I will be going over some other individuals that I haven't covered in the previous thread (one I meant to talk about but didn't).
Then I will also attempt to explain why capitalism is in NO WAY libertarian (including anarchist).
This is important knowledge.
Then I will also attempt to explain why capitalism is in NO WAY libertarian (including anarchist).
This is important knowledge.
ALSO DISCLAIMER:
I'm not redefining anything, nor am I engaging in semantics. And I'm not just giving details about history.
This is just to show how using a statist system like capitalism and presenting it as a free market system is misleading.
Now, let's begin.
I'm not redefining anything, nor am I engaging in semantics. And I'm not just giving details about history.
This is just to show how using a statist system like capitalism and presenting it as a free market system is misleading.
Now, let's begin.
When it comes to using the term 'capitalism,' it comes with a lot of baggage.
One of which is, it can literally be another name for mercantilism.
Mercantilism is a state creation where free trade of goods and services are done through tariffs and imperialism.
One of which is, it can literally be another name for mercantilism.
Mercantilism is a state creation where free trade of goods and services are done through tariffs and imperialism.
Capitalism is often known for evolving from statist systems such as mercantilism and feudalism.
But there's more than just that since critiques from the early libertarians and past anarchist thinkers will show.
Which is where we come to the heart of this thread, so here we go.
But there's more than just that since critiques from the early libertarians and past anarchist thinkers will show.
Which is where we come to the heart of this thread, so here we go.
Thomas Hodgskin (Anarchist/Free-market socialist)
He used it repeatedly with a negative connotation as early as 1825.
In his 1827 book Popular Political Economy, he even speaks, in surprisingly modern tones, about "greedy capitalists"!
He used it repeatedly with a negative connotation as early as 1825.
In his 1827 book Popular Political Economy, he even speaks, in surprisingly modern tones, about "greedy capitalists"!
Now, originally, I thought that the term was coined by a state socialist, Lois Blanc, in 1850.
But Hodgskin, who defended free trade and early trade unions, had already critiqued it before the coining happen and before Marx.
But Hodgskin, who defended free trade and early trade unions, had already critiqued it before the coining happen and before Marx.
https://twitter.com/NVoluntaryist/status/1332812980946255872?s=20
Dorothy Day (Anarcho-communist/Pacifist, who I really like btw) wrote a 1954 essay for The Catholic Worker critiquing capitalism.
She rejected capitalism because it was one of the “natural” social-political structures that made it impossible for human beings to be truly human.
She rejected capitalism because it was one of the “natural” social-political structures that made it impossible for human beings to be truly human.
And as a "Christian communist" which she referred to herself as, Dorothy condemned capitalism on moral grounds in the same essay.
LINK TO ESSAY "Distributism Versus Capitalism": catholicworker.org/dorothyday/art…
LINK TO ESSAY "Distributism Versus Capitalism": catholicworker.org/dorothyday/art…
Dorothy did NOT want violent revolution at all.
She put to practice a theory established by Peter Kropotkin, an anarcho-communist, known as mutual aid.
Here in this 1977 interview, she explains how it works.
She put to practice a theory established by Peter Kropotkin, an anarcho-communist, known as mutual aid.
Here in this 1977 interview, she explains how it works.
Sam Konkin (Free-market anarchist/Founder of agorism)
Now we come to #SEK3, who people often refer to as an "anarcho"-capitalist but he wasn't.
Even his writings on agorism shows that agorism and "anarcho"-capitalism are NOT the same.
Now we come to #SEK3, who people often refer to as an "anarcho"-capitalist but he wasn't.
Even his writings on agorism shows that agorism and "anarcho"-capitalism are NOT the same.
Konkin said in an interview that "the 'Anarcho-capitalists' tend to conflate the Innovator (Entrepreneur) and Capitalist, much as the Marxoids and cruder collectivists do."
LINK: sek3.net/smashing-the-s…
LINK: sek3.net/smashing-the-s…
In The Agorist Primer, Konkin wrote that "before Marx came along, Hodgskin had already used the term capitalism as a pejorative; capitalists were trying to use coercion-the State-to restrict the market. Capitalism, then, does not describe a free market but a form of statism..."
Murray Bookchin (Green anarchist/Communalist)
He is VERY misunderstood along with Kropotkin, Bakunin, Proudhon, Hoppe, and Stirner.
He maintained amicable terms with both Ayn Rand and Murray Rothbard, and didn't bash them for their description on 'capitalism.'
He is VERY misunderstood along with Kropotkin, Bakunin, Proudhon, Hoppe, and Stirner.
He maintained amicable terms with both Ayn Rand and Murray Rothbard, and didn't bash them for their description on 'capitalism.'
Bookchin rejected how Rand and Rothbard defined it:
"a system in which people divide their labour, specialise in producing certain goods and services, and trade among themselves"
Instead, in an idiosyncratic way (in my view), he accepted Marx's critique of 'capitalism.'
"a system in which people divide their labour, specialise in producing certain goods and services, and trade among themselves"
Instead, in an idiosyncratic way (in my view), he accepted Marx's critique of 'capitalism.'
Other anarchist critiques of 'capitalism' are (in many ways) similar to Marx's.
However Marx, along with his boyfriend Engels, advocated imperialism and violent revolution as their solution.
This is why anarchists like Proudhon, Bakunin, or Tucker did NOT like them at all.
However Marx, along with his boyfriend Engels, advocated imperialism and violent revolution as their solution.
This is why anarchists like Proudhon, Bakunin, or Tucker did NOT like them at all.
Fredy Perlman (Anarcho-primitivist/Green anarchist)
He also held the same critiques on capitalism in his book The New Freedom, Corporate Capitalism.
Remember: despite popular opinion, anprims and green anarchists are NOT the same.
He also held the same critiques on capitalism in his book The New Freedom, Corporate Capitalism.
Remember: despite popular opinion, anprims and green anarchists are NOT the same.
In one of his essays, Perlman said:
"The capitalist form of social production 'necessarily leads' to the reification of social relations; reification is not only a 'consequence' of capitalism; it is an inseparable aspect of capitalism."
But that's not all.
"The capitalist form of social production 'necessarily leads' to the reification of social relations; reification is not only a 'consequence' of capitalism; it is an inseparable aspect of capitalism."
But that's not all.
Perlman goes on to say:
"Concrete, unalienated labor which is a creative expression of an individual’s personality, cannot take place within the production process of capitalist society."
FURTHER READING: theanarchistlibrary.org/library/fredy-…
"Concrete, unalienated labor which is a creative expression of an individual’s personality, cannot take place within the production process of capitalist society."
FURTHER READING: theanarchistlibrary.org/library/fredy-…
So what is capitalism? Well, it depends on who you talk to and what sources you read from.
If your answer is the dictionary definition, then you are committing the appeal to definition fallacy.
Take note that dictionary definitions are prescriptive rather than descriptive.
If your answer is the dictionary definition, then you are committing the appeal to definition fallacy.
Take note that dictionary definitions are prescriptive rather than descriptive.
If you still want to use capitalism as a system of voluntary exchanges and market competition, that's fine. It's not my job to tell everybody what to do and how to think.
But I refuse to use a statist system that is created to promote the illusion that it supports markets.
But I refuse to use a statist system that is created to promote the illusion that it supports markets.
Trying to promote capitalism as a market system is a lot like trying to promote intellectual property as supporting property rights.
The state created them to promote tyranny and privilege under the guise of freedom.
Which is why I refuse to associate.
The state created them to promote tyranny and privilege under the guise of freedom.
Which is why I refuse to associate.
So in conclusion, it comes down to this question:
Do you support the system we have now; or do you support market competition, voluntary exchanges, and free associations.
If you support the latter, then it's time to say goodbye to capitalism.
Do you support the system we have now; or do you support market competition, voluntary exchanges, and free associations.
If you support the latter, then it's time to say goodbye to capitalism.
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