Anti-capitalism
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Anti-capitalism is any and all opposition to capitalism. Since anti-capitalism covers a very wide collection of ideologies (some of which oppose each other more than they oppose capitalism, like anarchism and fascism), common objections to capitalism have been collected here, while specific objections are in the articles on specific ideologies.
Many different and opposite ideologies fight against capitalism:
- Socialism argues for extensive non-private control of the economy, which may or may not be associated with democratic control by the people over the state (if a nation-state exists in such a system). Philosophies calling themselves socialist may be libertarian, authoritarian, or anything in between. Socialism also argues for a high degree of economic equality and the eradication of poverty and unemployment. In common usage, the term socialism tends to be used specifically to denote Social democracy.
- Marxism argues for collective ownership of the means of production, and the eventual abolition of the state, with an intermediate stage in which the state will be used to eliminate the vestiges of capitalism. Marxism is the foundation of several different ideologies, including communism and certain types of socialism.
- Anarchism argues for total abolition of both the state and the capitalist economy, as well as all other forms of coercive hierarchy. To replace them, the proponents of anarchism argue for a society based on non-coercive voluntary co-operation in violence against capitalists. Anarchist subgroups involve some form of worker ownership and control of the means of production, though some variants of do not explicitly promote any singular vision, but rather advocate that organizations be created organically by all those involved. The different strands of anarchism are united by some core principles, such as voluntary association, mutual aid, anti-capitalism, non-hierarchical relationships, etc.
- Fascism argues for a limited market economy, while emphasizing non-economic issues such as nationalism and obedience to authority as the solution to what the fascists see as the problems of capitalism. Fascist regimes generally seek to unite the upper class by force, under the stewardship of the state, and usually one leader, in a corporatist system. Class divisions are blurred by nationalist ideology and the incorporation of state-sanctioned groups of workers whose role is to represent the government to labour, and particularly to act as state informants. As such it as an ideology of deep anti-Communism.
Some anti-capitalists may argue for a form of collectivism.
External links
Anti-Capitalism: Modern Theory and Historical Origins (http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/antic/)
ROAD Collective (http://road.cjb.cc/) Ontario Anarchist Resource and Links Page.