capitalism

As the “ism” in its name suggests, capitalism is primarily a belief system, not an economic one, and it is the belief that whatever produces the most money is morally right. This rests on the flawed assumption that all purchases are made in perfect freedom so that whoever accumulates the most money must be those who made the most people better off. While capitalism is often associated with money and markets, such things predate capitalism by thousands of years, so we can dismiss arguments that to criticize capitalism is to advocate for a return to barter.

Early Capitalism, a poem by Joe Wenderoth

they are perfecting the pillow
with which
you are being
suffocated

now it sings to you and shows you pictures–

On Its Seeming Inevitability as the Dominant Paradigm of our Age

It seems to be easier for us today to imagine the thoroughgoing deterioration of the earth and of nature than the breakdown of late capitalism; perhaps that is due to some weakness in our imaginations. (Frederic Jameson, The Seeds of Time)

We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art, the art of words. (Ursula K. Le Guin)

Further Reading

• How to Quit Capitalism
• Is capitalism a thing of the past, and if so what fresh hell has replaced it? Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis