• Rev [none/use name]
    ·
    4 years ago

    It's a false perspective to look at capitalism as a kind of qualitative progress from feudalism in a quality of life sense. There is and never was a progression from more oppression to less oppression or some such (Marxist linear view of history as socioeconomic systems getting "better", more humane, etc. notwithstanding), instead you had adaptation and re-adaptation of socioeconomic systems to better fit the needs (meaning the ability to practice hegemony) of the ruling class (be it a traditional or an ascendant one that struggled and subdued it's predecessors). Kind of like evolution via natural selection is a tug of war between adaptation to changing geological circumstances and the drive for species and individuals within those species to secure their safety and ascend to the apex of the food chain. As such the distinctions between feudalism, slave-owning societies, capitalism, some future fascist techno-totalitarianism are purely academic. The only distinction that matters is between systems of exploitation on the one hand (that have pretty much totally dominated human "urbanised" or "settler" history) and systems of mutual cooperation and advancement of civilization on the other. As such the main working class (be they slaves, peasants, proletarians, conscious ai with robotic appendages) never benefits in this arrangement because it is literally the source of the prosperity of the ruling class, the exploitation of the former the latter's lifeblood. So no, capitalism has not and by its very nature cannot bring more happiness or prosperity or safety to its human economic base - any assumed betterment in your quality of life as compared to the medieval ages comes solely from scientific-technological progress. Or in other words it is a mere side-effect of you being in the right place at the right time.