[logfromblammo]

Capitalism and nationalist mercantilism are historically related, but one does not necessarily follow from the other.

Anarcho-capitalists usually define "capitalism" as "societal convention allows an individual to own property for that person's sole benefit". In that school of thought, your ability to own things is limited by your ability to defend what you have claimed. You can't just take your money, use it to buy state power, and then use that to get more money.

The an-cap factory owner does not fear that the workers will seize ownership of the factory. They fear that and that one of the employees will quit and become a leaner, faster competitor. A state-capitalist owner can generally prevent that with zoning and regulation, but the an-cap owner has to create an entirely different worker dynamic.

[danharaj]

I am talking about capitalism in material terms as it happens because that's what the post I replied to was doing, not an ideal, hypothetical form of capitalism. likewise if we were having a discussion about the real life consequences about Marxism-Leninsim (like a productive discussion on that topic can actually happen on HN) I would be criticizing the USSR as it actually developed and not, say, as it was described by Stalin's theoretical ramblings.

An-capitalism has never happened and probably never will because it presumes there is an ideal form of capitalism that can outcompete the actual capitalism that exists which is inextricably tied with state power. In every development of capitalism in every country starting with the very first ones in Europe, the state's power was used to disrupt the old order and establish a new one. It was not the only necessary ingredient, but it was essential.

[logfromblammo]

This is exactly why no one who wishes to have a serious discussion should ever say the word "capitalism"--never, not ever--because you will either waste time up front in defining terms, or later on, when different people are using different meanings for the same words.

"Anarcho-capitalism" will never be realized, because it combines two such words into one brand that virtually guarantees that no two people will be able to describe it in the same way.

[danharaj]

The word capitalism has a fairly well established meaning in most academically rigorous settings.