Reparative JusticePart 9 of 11 · Myths, and the way out
Myths about capitalism
Capitalism is sold as freedom and democracy. Green and ethical business is sold as the fix. Neither is true.
Myths about capitalism
The most significant propaganda in human history has been by capitalists to associate capitalism and its characteristics of private ownership and profit with equality, democracy, liberty, freedom and rights.
Governments and its corporations are most concerned with hiding contradictions of capitalist societies:
- They say there is room at the top for everybody but there has to be a bottom for there to be a top in capitalism, a classes economic system. Revolutions Reparations aims to create a classless society.
- They say anyone can be who he or she wants to be but those with wealth, who never have to work have unattainable advantages and privileges. However, hard work has never equated to wealth under capitalism.
- They say we are free under liberal democracies but unless one is born into wealth, our labour must be sold and wages earned in order to live and thrive in a world now commoditised.
- The working class produces enough food for two worlds, but there are still millions of children who die of malnutrition every year
- If capitalism was so pure, why do we have so many right wing, authoritarian imperialist dictatorships in the world?
- Unsold electronic goods are simply crushed if they do not get sold before a newer model, with new features is released into the market.
- Airlines fly empty planes around the world in order just to keep their ground slots at airports
Capitalism has ever only been, and will always be the economy of choice for the rich as it returns maximum profits and power to them, not humanity.
Populations are led to believe myths that are promoted by capitalist countries such as capitalism can be benevolent, kind and is the best way to organise people, lands and resources into productive commodities.
Other myths espoused by liberals and conservatives include:
- “the problems in most societies are not systemic, but because of a malfunctioning part of the capitalist economy because of under-regulation or misregulation”
- “People only suffer under capitalism because they do not work hard enough”
- “Everyone can live the American Dream”
- “Russia’s failed attempt at communism means anything anti-capitalist or co-operative is automatically doomed to fail”
- “Humans are competitive by nature”
There is no ethical capitalism
The relentless rise of so called ‘ethical’ businesses and standards such as ‘B Corp’ and buzzwords such as ‘eco’, ‘sustainable’, ‘green’, ‘renewable’, ‘socially responsible’, ‘impact investing’, even ‘Black Capitalism’, and many more relating to products, services and technologies over the last 30 years has not made the world materially better at a systemic level, and never will.
- It has not stopped or hindered the rate of capitalist accumulation, growth and exploitation or imperialist violence, with the world more divided and war-torn.
- Political decisions continue to harm and oppress us - the rate of inequality continues to rise at exponential levels, and the number of billionaires grows because of the foundational principles of capitalism.
- Millions around the world continue to protest racist and imperialist militarism that comes with capitalist exploitation.
- Imperialism through politically made hunger, poverty, inequality and vaccine apartheid kill millions each year.
- Scientists continue evidencing irreversible damage to the environment, ecosystems and biodiversity.
So called Black Capitalism and ‘ethical’ production and consumption promoted by governments, corporations, celebrities and media, and even NGOs and environmental movements hide the fundamental history and basic operation of capitalism, preventing systemic change.
- It was enslavement and colonialism, atrocities that have not been atoned for, that have given rise to our present blood-stained economy from which reparations and systemic change are ethically and morally necessary, not reformist and liberal campaigning and marketing.
- As the economy is blood stained, so too is all wealth derived within it for 500 years, everywhere in the world.
Therefore the genocidal and exploitative nature of capitalism (which can only function on racialisation, sexism, patriarchy, imperialist etc) and all wealth in it, means it is logically impossible to systemically make or buy ethical products, good and services.
Individual consumers are not to blame – we are forced to exist and participate in this system, and it is the system and those who protect it who are to blame. A system where five people hoard as much wealth as 50% of the population whilst millions die hungry each year and billions live in poverty.
Justice, emancipation and liberation from enslavement and colonialism can never be achieved through ethical capitalism, or other liberal buzzwords such as ‘kinder’, ‘compassionate’ or ‘Black’ capitalism, as these are myths and propaganda that keep the imperialist system, and its exploitation and injustices firmly in place.
The myth is promoted by academics and organisations with an ideological attachment to capitalist growth and hegemony despite its contradiction. It hides and normalises the horrors of capitalism and imperialism, and assumes (through imposition) that the world wants capitalism and that it is the only “logical” political economic path for humankind leaving no room for non-capitalist thinking.