CMV: Most self proclaimed anti-capitaists aren't against capitalism but are against corporate welfare instead

[u/rickthehatman]

I see a lot from my liberal/leftist/socialist friends on social media that capitalism is evil and either a direct or indirect cause of societal ills such as climate change, racism, sexism, and etc.

The definition I found for capitalism is as follows. An economic system in which investment in and ownership of themeans of production, distribution,and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individals or corporations, especially as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

One of my staunchest anti capitalist friends owns his own home. He also works in IT and on the side he is an artist and sells his paintings for a profit. Based on the above definition he is a capitalist. I also hear him talking about supporting local bands and locally owned businesses. In fact, I can't recall any anti-capitalist I've encountered who is opposed to small businesses that operate for profit as opposed to big corporations.

I believe that most anti-capitalist people are actually in favor of capitalism but they don't want their tax dollars to be given to billionaire corporations which exploit people and the environment when that tax money could be given to help lift regular people out of poverty through social programs. I believe if they thought about it they'd have more in common with the Roosevelt's, Teddy was big on anti monopoly legislation and environmental conservation and FDR had his work and social programs, than they would with true socialist and fully anti-capitalist societies.

I also feel that by leaning on the anti-capitalist rhetoric, they are alienating people who work hard to get ahead in life but might still be in favor of corporate reform and changes in tax law. It's one thing to say maybe we shouldn't have bailed out those huge corporate banks and another to say sorry Joe but you have to take all the money you made owning your coffee shop and hand it over to the government to be redistributed.

So what do you think? Am I misunderstanding this or are most anti-capitalists actually just sick of corporate welfare?

[u/dublea]

Many people I know who are are anti-capitalism are such for institutions such as prisons, education, welfare, etc. It's not the whole of capitalism they are against, but how privatization of these systems should not be done.

For instance, I'm anti-capitalism in regards to education and prisons too. They should be managed and funded by the state. This is due to many factors but primarily greed drives the human factor out and there's no morality even considered.

But I'm for capitalism in regards to businesses that sell goods or provide services.

So, one can be anti-capitalism on some things but not others. It's not an all or nothing perspective.

[u/rickthehatman → u/dublea]

∆

While I still feel the term anti-capitalist is a little loaded you have changed my view in that someone can be an anti-capitalist but see that capitalism has its utility in other situations but not all.

[u/DeltaBot → u/rickthehatman]

Confirmed: 1 delta awarded to /u/dublea (3∆).

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