Explain to me the morality of capitalism?

Question

I'm interested to hear what you think the morality behind capitalism is.

For example:
Do you think it discriminates according to race, creed, sexual orientation, gender? Is it oppressive or is it liberating?

Is it individualist or communitarian?

Do companies truly reward loyalty? Do they have your best interests at heart, as a consumer?

It would be good if you could draw on examples from the most capitalistic and competitive markets such as the press/media, music industry, technology, fast food etc.

Also how do these markets compare to smaller, less competitive ones?

Any unique examples you can think of that reveal a "morality" to capitalistm?

"All I know is there will always be poor people, some stronger than others, richer, poorer, more beautiful and not one bit of politiking will made an ounce of difference. I don't have morals I just like life." Hahahaha, what an ironic statement!

If you want to condemn capitalism or not, that's up to you. I do not intend this question to be an attack.

I want you to weigh up the morality of capitalism, good or bad. That's if you can call it a morality, maybe its more of a nature?

I agree it does sound like an essay qs, slytherinferret. I almost put at the end "this qs is the fabric of my mind" but then thought I might come across as paranoid. This qs is in the spirit of debate only! I am not a student.

I do think personally that capitalism can be defined like anything else in terms of morality.

E.g. Compared to the visibility of gay people on TV, transsexuals are relatively unheard of. Why? Because a gay identity appeals to a bigger, proven market: therefore it is likely to have a commercial appeal. So it is not necessarily the whole truth to think of capitalism as a wholly liberating force in this case. The minority in this example draws enough viewers to warrant their inclusion, which in turn attracts advertisers. The same cannot be said of transsexuals.

I understand that capitalism does not care for a more humanist definition of morality. Anne Summers found a way to sell sex on the high street. Previously, sex shops were seedy back alley affairs.

Answer 1

Human beings need to be competitive to add meaning to their life.

Capitalism, in theory, adds the benefit of reward for working hard. 'The American Dream'. In this sense it is liberating.

However, this assumes that the growth is continuous and based on work. In actual fact, all systems must tend toward an equilibrium so some people (quite a few) must suffer despite any amount of work they do. So.. there is a luck involved too.

In terms of morality. There is a strong tendency to be almost religious about the concept of capitalism which leads to requiring success to be a good person and the danger of becoming righteous. It encourages a concept of putting your own 'blood' before others which can be destructive to society as a whole. The whole 'jocks' and 'cheerleaders' syndrome is a good example in the young generation. In the older generation it's the stock market trader who rides millions who is regarded as a big success or the guy who started a small company that now is huge. At the end of the day it's all ego.

It is merely one way of controlling our animal urges in a socially acceptable way. Probably as good as any of the other 'accepted' social system.

Answer 2

Capitalism is necessarily free from morality. In a free market economy, the only moral constraints are those held by the individuals using the market. If one person believes it would be wrong to make a profit, for example, off of the suffering of others, in a truly capitalistic system it would be their loss because someone else would step up to fill that niche. (This could be something as basic as operating a funeral home, not necessarily something bad.)

Your question essentially demands an essay from answerers and seems to be baiting Objectivists. What you really seem to be asking for is a defense of Capitalism, and the ultimate defense is that it is demonstrably the most efficient and productive system there is.

Capitalism, by itself, is not moral or immoral. A particular market and/or individuals within it may be moral, but capitalism itself "values" market forces and free trade, not any concepts of right or wrong in a moral sense.

Are you asking this in the spirit of intellectual discussion and debate? Because it's so detailed it sounds like you're writing a school paper or something, and I'm leery of helping students in this way.

Answer 3

I'm not overly convinced that economic philosophy should be evaluated as Ethics, as their focus is different. You could evaluate a particular capitalistic country for how moral it is in pursuing capitalism, or the moral values a given company has in relation to its workers or consumers. But then it's not the morals of capitalism you're looking at, just how morals are used in a specific instance.

Answer 4

Oh, lovey, you came to the arssse end of the horse by asking me that I haven't a clue. All I know is there will always be poor people, some stronger than others, richer, poorer, more beautiful and not one bit of politiking will made an ounce of difference. I don't have morals I just like life.

Answer 5

"The moral justification of capitalism does not lie in the altruist claim that it represents the best way to achieve "the common good." It is true that capitalism does - if that catch-phrase has any meaning - but this merely secondary consequence. The moral justification of capitalism lies in the fact that it is the only system consonant with man's rational nature, that is protects man's survival qua man, and that its ruling principle is: justice."
- Ayn Rand

Answer 6

Get rich quick schemes in the capitalist business world, (buyouts, IPOs, conglomerates, acquisitions, mergers, and the stock market), do not actually work. Remaining solvent does not actually exist within false economics capitalism.

Profit existing in the capitalist business world, or millionaires existing within capitalism, is pathological deception committed by the 21 organizations spying on the population with plain clothes agents, (with covert fake names and fake backgrounds).

Actual economics is the persons paying the monthly business loan payments of companies voting at work in order to control the property they are paying for.

Capitalism is the psychology of imaginary parents, false economics, and the criminal deception of employees that are paying the bills (including the stocks and bonds, or shares) of companies.

Anti-democracy republicanism is the psychology of imaginary parents and false government.

Answer 7

Human nature is only to work and make effort at work if rewarded in proportion to their efforts.... that is capitalism.

Socialism is a handful of people working while everyone else has a lifelong vacation, as well as communal poverty as the result of no motivation for anyone to work.

Set an example, open your home's front door so that people can take what they need.

Answer 8

I can throw that back and say is there any morality in communism, totalitarianism or socialism.
At least with captialism, a person has the freedom to choose his occupation, can go to another city without checking in with various places, worship God the way he want, live where he wants, eat what he wants; variety is constant in a free society. There are always someone that will abuse the system. But I dont' see that many people running away from the US despite all its faults; you can't say that with any other country in this world.