Ending Capitalism
“Breaking out of capitalist society is necessary, not only for the improvement of human living and thinking, but for human survival.” Harvey Jackins, Logical Thinking About a Future Society (1990), page 13.
Many of us joined RC because we wanted to solve a personal problem—for example, improve a relationship, be a better parent, feel better about ourselves. Some of us came into RC with an awareness of how the various oppressions had affected us. As we Co-Counseled together, we realized the importance of ending all oppression.
We have done well. And we are not done.
It is becoming increasingly clear that all the big challenges we are facing—the oppressions, the climate emergency, war, the threat of nuclear war, genocide—are caused by the workings of capitalism.
CAPITALISM
Capitalism is a harmful economic and social system. It is based on the private ownership of the raw materials and infrastructure used to produce wealth. It is based on greed, which comes from fear. The primary purpose of capitalism is to make profits for the owners.
Capitalism has made a high standard of living possible for some people in some parts of the world, but that is due to wealth having been stolen by colonization, imperialism, genocide, exploiting workers’ labor, and damaging our environment.
Capitalism’s devastating effects on humans and the planet are rarely attributed to it. But the damage that it causes includes the following:
- Poverty
- Preventable and unnecessary illness
- Premature death
- Global warming
- Resource depletion
- Pollution
- Habitat destruction
- War, and its effects
- Genocide
- Slavery, past and current (the International Labor Organization of the United Nations estimates that over forty million people are in some form of slavery today)
- The effects of colonialism and imperialism (the lowest per capita incomes today are almost all in formerly colonized countries; I know of no former colonial power that has apologized or paid compensation for what it stole under colonialism; and the theft continues)
The above is not a complete list.
It is unlikely that we can end the climate crisis or eliminate oppression while being dominated by the capitalist system. Capitalism rewards people materially who exploit other people and damage the planet. Capitalist values are entrenched in the policies and practices of national and international institutions. And capitalism is incapable of solving the problems it causes.
If we do not replace capitalism with a better system, the future will be bleak indeed. There is much to figure out about replacing it and developing a better system, but we can figure it out together.
There are hopeful signs. As the effects of the climate crisis and the COVID pandemic become increasingly visible, more people are seeing the need for an economic system that sustains the environment and works well for everyone.
James Baldwin wrote, “We made the world we’re living in, and we have to make it over.” Because we inherently desire to cooperate and think together with other humans, this can be an exciting and joyful process.
DISCHARGING ON CAPITALISM
An important part of ending capitalism is people—we ourselves, the people we associate with, the people who decide economic and political policies—discharging the distress recordings installed by capitalism.
Capitalism developed and continues to exist because of distress recordings. We can discharge the hurts installed by it and think intelligently about ending it and replacing it with a more humane society.
The questions for discharge below have been useful for me. (I now am less fearful when leading workshops about capitalism, have more attention for counseling people on it, can write more honestly about it, and am more strongly committed to ending it.)
- When did you first see or understand that there were differences in people’s wealth? How did you feel? Were you able to talk about it with anyone?
- What are your ancestors’ histories regarding poverty and wealth? How were their values and their distress recordings passed on to you?
- When did you become aware of the huge differences in wealth in different parts of the world?
- If your income or wealth is above the per-person world average, what would you have to give up if the world’s resources were shared rationally and everyone adjusted their consumption to the level necessary to have a sustainable environment?
As client, trust your mind to take you to the distresses you need to discharge. As counselor, resist the pull to give directions quickly. It is important to listen. We have all been hurt differently, for example, by our unique class backgrounds.
If we are from a country with a history of enacting colonialism, imperialism, or genocide, working on capitalism can be especially challenging—since our history has been purposefully hidden by our governments and schools. We need to learn about the effects of imperialism, colonialism, and genocide. However, an intellectual understanding is not enough. We also need to discharge the pain, hopelessness, and guilt from knowing what our countries have done.
I encourage you to have at least one Co-Counseling session a week on the distresses installed on you by capitalism. If you are an RC teacher, I encourage you to lead on this topic.
Capitalism is not inevitable. Humans created it, and we can change it. It can be replaced with a more humane system.
We are enormously intelligent. We can imagine different futures. We can take leadership. We can end capitalism!
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion lists for leaders in the transformation of society and for RC Community members
(Present Time 207, April 2022)