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by yaps8 3034 days ago
> Capitalism is what you get when a) you have private property, b) freedom to trade property, goods, and services (labor)

I disagree. We (sort-of) have your a) and b) and capitalism now but the implication part "what you get" is not obvious.

Do you have sources that show a consensus on this implication ?

1 comments

Do you have a source for a definition of capitalism? It's definitely not like Marxism -- one man's idea. Capitalism really is an evolution ("what you get when ...") of Dutch and British economics of the 17th century or thenabouts through today. The key characteristic is: private property and freedom to trade (goods, property, services).
Yes there is not "one" definition of capitalism, but yours (private property + freedom to trade) misses some characteristics (for instance: capital accumulation).

> Capitalism really is an evolution ("what you get when ...")

"is an evolution" is not the same as "what you get when", I agree that the current system is an evolution of the 17th century, but "what you get when" would mean this is the most likely evolution, which is not obvious.