this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2023
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Hi all,

I'm seeing a lot of hate for capitalism here, and I'm wondering why that is and what the rationale behind it is. I'm pretty pro-capitalism myself, so I want to see the logic on the other side of the fence.

If this isn't the right forum for a political/economic discussion-- I'm happy to take this somewhere else.

Cheers!

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In order to call yourself a capitalist, you have to own capital.

It doesn't qualify if you have a mortgage to your capital or debt to your capital. You have to own the thing or property outright and completely in order to say you have capital.

The majority of us are not capitalists because we don't own capital.

We may advocate for it but it's like arguing for your banker to stay perpetually wealthy and even more wealthier through your debt.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In order to call yourself a capitalist, you have to own capital.

Nah "capitalist" in this sense just describes what economic policy the person supports. Same way socialists in the US don't need to have an equal ownership in the means of production to be considered socialists.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

No, a capitalist is a person with a particular relationship to the means of production and their continued social reproduction.

If someone uses it to mean they support an economic and political mode of organization where those people are in charge that’s fine, but it doesn’t stop meaning the first thing.