[zzzkkk]

> Even the most hardcore anti-capitalists have to give respect to how the combination of capitalism and technology has worked to lift most of the world out poverty and provided us with the security and comfort only kings enjoyed just a few century’s ago.

no, we fucking don't.

[Polylactic_acid]

Having air conditioning and modern medicine as well as clothes not patched together from potato sacks brings you pretty close to king level of comfort.

[chii]

The difference between a peasant and a king in the middle ages, and a peasant (e.g., a worker today) and a king (e.g., Bezos, or the Saudi king) is night and day.

A middle ages peasant has access to a tiny sliver of the goods and services available to the king. A modern day peasant has access to pretty much all of the goods and services available to Bezos today. It's not like the food Bezos eats is any better than any body else's. The clothes he wears is not much better than anybody else's. The computer he uses is not much faster than anybody else's.

So the gap in availability and access of goods and services between the rich and poor is lower today than it was in the past.

[bluedevil2k]

Can you provide any facts to refute his claim? It’d be hard to argue against him on this one.

[goatlover]

Kings back then had to shit in a chamber pot, were driven around by horse back, were treated with blood letting and leaches, had to wait weeks or months for news and goods from distant lands to make their way, with no guarantee of accuracy or delivery. Scientific understanding was poor. They had no electricity, no refrigeration, no vaccines or penicillin or X-Rays. The list in which middle class modern people are better off goes on and on.

[swagasaurus-rex]

Why not?

A few centuries ago we didn't have lighting, refrigeration, microwaves, electric ovens, clothes washers and dryers, cheap food, even fruits were only seasonal whereas in many capitalist-favoring places in the world now you can buy them year round. You can eat meat for every meal.

The view from the kitchen alone makes us look like we live like kings from centuries past.

Not to disregard the downsides of capitalism - rent seeking being just one of many. But to say we aren't living in the luxuries of capitalism is disingenuous IMO.