{"id":4209,"date":"2020-02-28T05:03:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-28T12:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/?p=4209"},"modified":"2020-04-03T14:00:34","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T20:00:34","slug":"capitalism-didnt-build-the-modern-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/02\/28\/capitalism-didnt-build-the-modern-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Capitalism didn\u2019t build the modern world"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Socialism built the modern world, not capitalism. Anyone who tells you that global poverty is dropping, and it\u2019s because of capitalism doesn\u2019t understand how the real world works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>What people fail to realize is that anything that seems to be an innovation of capitalism and that helped raise the global standard of living are made possible by the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More people have access to food, for example, not because of multinational food conglomerates, but because of the infrastructure states have created: transportation, communication, banking, and so on are all made possible because of governments, not because of capitalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research in food technology and in medical technology is made possible by public funding to public research institutions, such as universities and federal research centres, not because of altruistic billionaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Improvements in quality of life and longevity are likewise a result of government investment into public health research and healthcare, not because of large pharmaceutical companies posting billions of dollars in profits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Global wages are rising because of labour legislation passed by governments that increase wages and reduce worker exploitation, not because of the kindness of company owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Capitalism would have let people starve if it meant business owners could make a profit. Or at the very least, business owners would feed the poor just enough to keep them alive as they worked in their mines, on their plantations, and in their factories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"580\" height=\"327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ee3QblAacE0?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-CA&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Socialism built the modern world, not capitalism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4210,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[30],"tags":[73,72,74,81],"class_list":["post-4209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-billionaires","tag-capitalism","tag-socialism","tag-workers"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/new-york-4854718_1920.jpg?fit=1920%2C1122&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4NkW7-15T","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4029,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2019\/12\/07\/my-response-to-nathan-neudorfs-pro-capitalist-rant\/","url_meta":{"origin":4209,"position":0},"title":"My response to Nathan Neudorf\u2019s pro-capitalist rant","author":"Kim Siever","date":"7 December 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"At the beginning of December, Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf went on a pro-capitalist rant in the Alberta legislature. This is my response.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/money-2180330_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/money-2180330_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/money-2180330_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/money-2180330_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/12\/money-2180330_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3800,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2019\/09\/21\/for-capitalism-to-succeed-it-must-divide-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":4209,"position":1},"title":"For capitalism to succeed, it must divide us","author":"Kim Siever","date":"21 September 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Capitalism is at the root of all that divides us as a society. Capitalism depends on our being divided; division is built into capitalism. It\u2019s what helps it survive.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/broken-216728.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/broken-216728.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/broken-216728.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/broken-216728.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/broken-216728.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4164,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/02\/18\/how-capitalism-creates-oppression\/","url_meta":{"origin":4209,"position":2},"title":"How capitalism creates oppression","author":"Kim Siever","date":"18 February 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Capitalism is inherently oppressive. It\u2019s built on the concept of hierarchy.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/boss-2206_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/boss-2206_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/boss-2206_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/boss-2206_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/boss-2206_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3894,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2019\/10\/05\/capitalism-breeds-more-than-just-class-inequality\/","url_meta":{"origin":4209,"position":3},"title":"Capitalism breeds more than just class inequality","author":"Kim Siever","date":"5 October 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Inequality is inherent in capitalism. Of course, in capitalism, power is unevenly distributed, lying in the hands of the few individuals who manage to own businesses and amass capital. But that power inequity breeds inequity in other areas. Because so few people can amass capital in capitalism, people assume they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/house-1937037_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/house-1937037_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/house-1937037_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/house-1937037_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/house-1937037_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3906,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2019\/10\/09\/capitalism-cant-combat-climate-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":4209,"position":4},"title":"Capitalism can\u2019t combat climate change","author":"Kim Siever","date":"9 October 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Capitalism cannot be the vehicle to combat climate change.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/climate-change-2254711_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C615&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/climate-change-2254711_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C615&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/climate-change-2254711_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C615&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/climate-change-2254711_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C615&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/climate-change-2254711_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C615&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4288,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/03\/20\/capitalism-is-making-the-pandemic-worse\/","url_meta":{"origin":4209,"position":5},"title":"Capitalism is making the pandemic worse","author":"Kim Siever","date":"20 March 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"If there\u2019s one thing that\u2019s become clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, it\u2019s that neoliberal economic policies have failed our societies.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4209"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4209\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4231,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4209\/revisions\/4231"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}