No. The U.S. is not Capitalist.
Neo-Feudalism, Corporatism, is not Capitalism.
Neither the United States or any Western nation is in fact a capitalist economy despite the campaign of misinformation and maleducated pundits proclamations.
Wow. That was a mouthful!
An economy that regulated by governmental oversight is not a free market.
An economy that is subject to central control of any form, is not a free market.
Laws that protect corporate structures from being held directly responsible for their actions, creates a protected system that encourages and rewards corporate entities to ignore the consequences of their actions. This is not conducive to free markets either.
Free market Capitalism was a natural response to the centuries of centralized economic interests known as Feudalism. The creation of a middle class that was economically independent, destroyed the power base of the feudal over lords.
With the establishment of economic freedom, people were no longer dependent upon overlords. The Aristocracy simply lost all but the brute force of military power over the people.
Private ownership of property, resources, and production stripped the crown of their strangle hold. It must be understood that free market capitalism and private ownership of land provided the people with the ability to challenge the tyranny of the Aristocracy. No longer were the people merely serfs, slaves, property of the Aristocracy.
With the advent of the printing press, ideas began to be circulated that questioned authority.
The free market of ideas, challenged the censorship and control of both Crown and Church. The Gutenberg Bible, Tyndale, Wycliffe, The Geneva Bible circulated despite desperate attempts by both Crown and Church to suppress the Bible. Which contained ideas that refuted both Crown and Church dogmas, propaganda, lies. Lies that the Crown and Church had used to make claim for their “divine “ right to power and authority.
The Free Press, brought free speech, this coupled with free markets, completely overthrew the control mechanism of the feudal over lordship of Crown/State and Church.
It was Free Trade, Free Markets, Free Press, Free Speech that fueled the enlightenment.
The Enlightenment was the revolution that overthrew the old feudal corruptocracy. From ideas born during this revolutionary era, The Constitution of the United states was drafted. The revolutionary idea of a Constitutional Republic,a Republic governed by the will of the people, a government restrained in power, by law.
The clear understanding that, to uphold protect and defend the natural rights of the weakest minority, the individual, then the rights of ALL were protected.
Private property, free trade, free markets, free speech, freedom of movement, freedom of association, the personal right to self defense.
Rule by law with no protected class save the individual. These things defied Feudalism, tyranny, oppression and ensured independence liberty and the freedom to pursue happiness.
In a system where all are equal before law, with no protected class, all may be held responsible for damages done and face actual consequences for wrong doing. This means, no corporate shields, no qualified immunity. Sadly that is not the case in our system now.
Corporate boards, are protected from being held directly responsible, government agents are protected from facing consequences. That reality has created a ruling class identical in structure, power, and abused as feudal overlords maintained.
Now, we are witnessing a return to feudalism. Corporatism, fascism, marxism, socialism. All, result in creating central control of economy, speech, property, production, resources,which removes the ability of the people to be free and independent.
I for one cannot see any real differences between Feudalism, Marxism, Fascism, Socialism or Corporatism. The only differences are in the labels applied.
No,
No nation of the west is capitalist. Not one nation is maintained via free markets, free trade, free speech or equal protection under the law.
Consider this.
Discuss this.
What shall we do?
What will you do?
I was watching something on youtube last night, where they described how people used to work.
They'd show up to work at daybreak, then they'd eat a light meal, then they'd work for four hours and eat another light meal, they'd work another two hours, then take an afternoon break until the heat cooled, then they'd do a sprint for the last 3 hours.
Capitalists introduced the clock and paid churches to ring bells at 4am and 8pm. It was capitalists that forced people to work 8-6, with no breaks, no lunches, no snacks, and forced them to buy their own food to bring to work.
But you are right, the U.S. in not a free market. The government has dabbled too much in what can be bought and sold.
Thank you!