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Anti-capitalism refers to opposition to capitalism, in terms of beliefs or attitudes. As such, it is a very broad term, covering a wide collection of views and ideologies, some of which oppose each other more than they oppose capitalism. Anti-capitalists, in the strict sense of the word, are those who wish to completely replace capitalism with another economic system; however, there are also ideologies which can be characterized as partially anti-capitalist, in the sense that they only wish to replace or abolish certain aspects of capitalism rather than the entire system.
Most Notable Anti-Capitalist Ideologies, Viewpoints, or Trends
- Socialism argues for public control over the economy, which may or may not be associated with democratic control by the people over the state (there are both democratic and undemocratic philosophies which call themselves socialist). In addition, socialism advocates some degree (depending on the type of socialism) of economic equality and the eradication of poverty and unemployment.
- Marxism argues for collective ownership of the means of production and the eventual abolition of the state, with an intermediate stage in which the state will be used to eliminate the vestiges of capitalism. Marxism is the foundation of several different ideologies, including communism and certain types of socialism. Some states that identified themselves with Marxism claimed to have abolished capitalism, although some Marxist theorists describe them as state capitalist, rather than anti-capitalist.
- Social democracy is a partially anti-capitalist ideology that has grown out of the reformist wing of the socialist movement. Social democrats do not oppose the actual foundations of capitalism, but they wish to mitigate what they see as capitalism's most negative effects through the creation of a mixed economy and a welfare state.
- Anarchist philosophies argue for a total abolition of the state, with many anarchists opposing capitalism on the grounds that it entails social domination, involuntary relations and coercive hierarchy. Some forms of anarchism oppose capitalism as a whole while supporting some particular aspects of capitalism. For further discussion, see Anarchism and capitalism.
- Ecofeminists criticise capitalism for defining the natural world as simply a body of resources to be exploited and reshaped to serve human purposes and interests. They also see it as inherently snapping the relationship between humans to one another and to the natural world. Ecofeminists see capitalism as a patriarchal construction "based on the colonization of women, nature, and other peoples."
- There are also strands of conservatism that are uncomfortable with liberal capitalism. Particularly in continental Europe, many conservatives have been uncomfortable with the impact of capitalism on culture and traditions. The conservative opposition to the French revolution, the Enlightenment, and the development of individualistic liberalism as a political theory and as institutionalized social practices sought to retain traditional social hierarchies, practices and institutions. There is also a conservative protectionist opposition to certain types of international capitalism.
- Some religions criticize or outright reject capitalism:
- Islam forbids lending money at interest, an important aspect of capitalism.
- Christianity traditionally forbade usury but modern groups of Christianity has over time abandoned identifying every form of lending at interest as usury. Many denominations of modern origins have dropped the prohibition altogether. More recently, Christianity has been the source of many other criticisms of capitalism, particularly its materialist aspects. The first socialists drew many of their principles from Christian values (see Christian socialism and the Social Gospel movement), against the "bourgeois values" of profiteering, greed, selfishness and hoarding. Many Christians do not oppose capitalism entirely but support a mixed economy in order to ensure "decent" labour standards and relations, as well as economic justice. Nevertheless, there are also many Protestant denominations (particularly in the United States) who are reconciled or ardently in favour of capitalism, particularly in opposition to secular socialism.
See also
External links
- David E Lowes (2006) The Anti-Capitalist Dictionary, Zed, London. Explains concepts and issues from an anti-capitalist perspective and shows how they have changed over time.
- Summit Sieges and Social Forums; a Rough Guide to the Anticapitalist Movement, D., Stockton and R., Brenner, et al, London, 2004
- Infoshop.org - Anarchists opposed to capitalism.
- Marxists Internet Archive - Archive of Marxist and anti-capitalist literature.
- The Anti-Capitalistic Mentality on-line book by the economist Ludwig von Mises
- Anti-Capitalism: Modern Theory and Historical Origins
- Anti-Capitalism as an ideology... and as a movement
- Anti-Capitalism : A Guide To The Movement Directory of Groups and Organisations, June 2001.
- Industrial Workers of the World
- Socialist Party USA
References
- Friedrich Pollock, "State Capitalism: Its Possibilities and Limitations," Studies in Philosophy and Social Science, IX, 2 (1941), 200-255.
- Tony Cliff, State Capitalism in Russia (1955).
- Mies, Maria (1993). Ecofeminism. p. 298. ISBN 1-85649-156-0.
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