The Morality of Capitalism - 2662 Words

Thesis Capitalism has been the subject of ethical criticism since it was first introduced into society. I defend the morality of capitalism because it gives people incentive to work, establishes a web of trust between them, satisfies their material well-being, and generates a wide spectrum of prosperity. Exposition As citizens of the United States, we are members of the leading capitalist economy in the world. Our production and distribution is mostly done privately and we operate in a â€Å"profit† or â€Å"market† system. The capitalist system has been a target for criticism throughout the last three hundred years and is being discussed now more than ever due to the recent recession and financial crisis (Shaw and Barry n.d., 1). Its effects,†¦show more content†¦The justification of private property is that it is a necessity in society. Nearly everything we cherish as American citizens – advancement, democracy, success, and freedom – rely on the private ownership of the means of production. It is essential for social progress for numerous reasons. First, private property gives people the incentive to work hard. People work to make money, which can be used freely to make purchases. This motive increases their labor output and rewards them for their efforts, which ultimately benefits society. Without it, there would simply be no reason to seek higher-ranking jobs and provide innovation in society. When jobs are in demand, employers can generally fill positions quickly by offering a higher wage. Next, it provides pleasure to those who work hard. The amount a man succeeds or fails in society rests solely on how well they perform. This is completely moral because it rewards your achievements and ability without discrimination. John Locke, an English philosopher from the Age of Enlightenment, claimed there was a natural law before the emergence of regulations of private property. The natural law states that if someone mixes their labor with something that nature has to offer, they have the rights to possess it. He claimed that, â€Å"The labour of his body, and the work of his hands, we may say, are properly his. Whatsoever then he removes out of the state that nature hath provided, and left it in, he hath mixed his labour with,Show MoreR elatedThe Morality Of Slave Labor Versus Free Market Capitalism1095 Words   |  5 PagesMatthew Bradley HIST 3401 FINAL EXAM SECTION A During the mid-19th century there was a fight about the morals of slave labor versus free market capitalism. Abolitionists tended to support capitalism, or even socialism, and would argue that slave labor is immoral. Supporters of slavery would argue that Christianity allowed for slave labor, and it also created a more equal society; one much closer to the socialist dreamRead MoreKarl Marx And Nietzsche s Views On Society1240 Words   |  5 Pagessupports. The biggest reason why Marx objected capitalism is because it requires everything in society to revolve around the drive for profit. In his own words, capitalism, â€Å"†¦ left remaining no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest, than callous ‘cash payment’†, and â€Å"has converted the physician, the lawyer, the priest, the poet, the man of science, into its paid wage-labourers† (Communist Manifesto 337, 338). Marx was disgusted how capitalism can convert a man who only car es about scienceRead MoreRobert Nisbets Understanding of the Ideas of Emile Durkheim1519 Words   |  6 Pagesanti-Enlightenment thinkers on the Right like Edmund Burke and Joseph de Maistre. They had defended tradition Christian morality and an orderly, hierarchical society with a monarchy and established church, and were skeptical of liberal claims about progress and rationality. Nisbet thought that modern capitalist society had created the seeds of its own destruction by undermining traditional culture and morality, which opened the door to genocidal and totalitarian ideologies like communism and fascism in the 20th CenturyRead MoreThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair The story â€Å"The Jungle† by Upton Sinclair is somewhat of a declaration900 Words   |  4 PagesThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair The story â€Å"The Jungle† by Upton Sinclair is somewhat of a declaration of attention towards the matters of sociopolitical issues, capitalism, political corruption, and the depravedness of corporate personnel, corporatism, and industrialism; it inspires progressivism in its strong and thought-provoking messages and lives by its title. The story is about a recently married Lithuanian couple – Jurgis and Ona, and their ten other siblings who all come to America, as immigrantsRead MoreMarx s Critique On Capitalism1474 Words   |  6 PagesCommunist regimes during the Enlightenment Period. As the most important theoretician and prominent leader of a growing international labor movement, Marx considered various principles on the morality of human nature. For instance, he was committed to the thought that human nature had been distorted by Capitalism and therefore it could only be restored to its true potential through the assistance of Socialism and Communism. In addition, he questioned the capacities and boundaries of human nature, inRead MoreComparing Marx, Durkhiem, and Webers Perceptions of the Development of Society from Pre-Modern to Modernity1298 Words   |  6 Pages Sociological perspective has benefited from Marx, Durkhiem and Weber’s theories, regarding human nature and the development of their societies. Each one had their differing characteristics. Marx saw class conflict and Capitalism central to his theory, whereas Durkhiem concentrated on Industrialism and the division of labour and Weber rationalization and bureaucracy. Marx had three major features in his analysis, mainly how goods and services are organized; theRead MoreMessages About Morality and Politics Conveyed in Priestleys An Inspector Calls1216 Words   |  5 PagesA morality play is a medieval play designed to teach the audience right from wrong. JB Priestley uses An Inspector call to convey a moral message, which is that you should not judge people on their class i.e. lower working class/higher class. He also expands the views of socialism within the message; this is all made very clear by the use of dramatic devices. Although it is a morality play it is not in the traditional format. Priestley makes it very clear in what he wants the audience to think isRead MoreThe Evolution of the Corporation Essays830 Words   |  4 Pagesof focusing on the interests of all those that are vital to its survival embraces all of the elements that have evolved in our society as a result of the absence of direct concern or lack of morality for the stakeholders in the Stockholders Theory . Over the years, the sole pursuit of managerial capitalism, the basis of the Stockholder Theory, in its unconstrained manner through deception and manipulation has resulted in the promulgation of laws to protect the interests of stakeholders which EdwardRead MoreCapitalism And Its Impact On Social Human History1203 Words   |  5 PagesCapitalism has been generally criticized from many perspectives throughout its history. Criticism ranges from individuals who completely disagree with the preliminary principles of capitalism to those who disagree with particular cases with outcomes of capitalism. Some propose that capitalism can be transformed or replaced with an alternative method of social organization and means of production. There is a distinct division between those who believe capitalism will eventually collapse and a moreRead MoreDefinition Of Capitalism By Karl Marx1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe key to life should be enjoyment and you should have meaning in your life which doe s not depend on what you posses in material goods. Alienation meant a loss of control for people, more specifically their loss of control over their own labor. Capitalism brought along divisions of labor in a factory, which meant workers needed to specialize in specific tasks that realized parts of their capabilities, at the expense of others. He believed that wage labor was the most profound form of alienation because