The Dynamics and Dialectics of Capitalism

Free societies (whatever the fine points in defining “free”) are not necessarily self-perpetuating. An understanding of this has underlain many of the attempts — past and present — to clarify the nature of a capitalist economy — both its dynamics in furthering what has been called the free or even “permissive” society and its dialectics in apparently creating a social milieu inhospitable to its continued existence. The role of competitive capitalism (or a market-based private enterprise system) in supporting and extending personal liberty (”freedom to” as well as “freedom from”) is little known among the lay public compared to, say, the intended roles of public education, constitutional government, or a free press. Indeed, the workings of capitalism are usually more subtle, and its effects on the range of human choice have generally been unintended by those bringing them about. That is, they often occur as by-products of actions motivated by quite other ends-in-view (e.g., making a profit).

Volume 5, Number 2 (1981)