The long-standing capitalism vs. socialism debate has had people rooting for one side over the other for ages in heightened capacity. However, as our generation is constantly trying to put the missing pieces together to support justice and inclusivity, the debate is not as black and white as it seems. The world is largely based on treating capitalism as the norm and we find ourselves cursing it rightfully. It, however, is not the root of the problem but a manifestation of it. The problem is the dismantled systems pertaining to race, gender, caste, and so on. Capitalism happens to be the fuel that drives it in a way that leaves society devoid of social justice while simultaneously using these causes to serve the privileged sections of society which is why it is important to dig deep and start by cutting off this fiscal vs moral debate which acts as a façade and prevents the first step, that is acknowledging that everyone can enjoy the perks of capitalism and be wealthy. Where is the problem now? The ongoing systems enable most of the people in POR to justify their lack of equity for the sake of profits. If both men and women are paid equally, the poverty rate within women will significantly reduce and the GDP of the country will increase. Similarly, if you take other communities who are mistreated, the same process is applicable.
What I believe in is not extreme sides in context to the traditional debate but adapting to general norms that best work for everyone. I do personally believe in constantly evolving as a society and coming up with new terms that advocate for equity-based policies that retell history like intersectional environmentalism by Leah Thomas. As long as they are not treated as buzz words only meant for tokenistic activism, there can be long-term changes created even with capitalism as a prominent tool in society. The burden lies on corporates who whitewash individuals by using campaign strategies on social causes while oppression and inequality within the workspace persist. In reality, everyone working together will double the creativity, create justice in society, and give a major boost to the economy. We are conditioned into believing that there is a major scarcity which justifies the engagement of the social vs economic debate but what we really need is corporates to stop giving into their corrupt selves and follow radical representation. For them to make the most of capitalism but in accordance with compassion and ethics. With such an approach, everyone will have more than enough wealth to lead a good quality of life and there will be major poverty reduction. Capitalism and social equality can co-exist and the only people preventing us to believe that are racists, misogynists, and dictators who justify economic growth with a lack of social diversity and inclusivity. Corporates can and have to do better because these policies can create space for tangible change in society and be better for everyone.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to make money as long as it’s not at the cost of exploitation of others and sheer ignorance of the condition of the world. Capitalism rooted in equity and inclusivity in its functioning and not just showcasing for image purposes is the gateway of change that we really need. That’s why people apart from lawmakers working in PORs need to view their jobs as empathy generators who can create better living conditions for themselves and their employees, creating more room for safety and wealth. However, the ground reality is that the system is held together by corruption and the whole deal sounds too good to be true which is why we need monitoring. I have heard a fair share of complaints regarding HRs from friends and family. What we need is equity teams who monitor and assess the functioning in a fair manner and I trust activists in this sphere. It still sounds idealistic because of the way we have been conditioned but it is absolutely vital to initiate and sustain change.
It was never a matter of who holds more competence but a matter of who holds more privilege. At least people deserve a fair share of a shot at what they wish to do and not be disregarded based on other people’s conditioned social biases. Capitalism can be for everyone if we take the responsibility of doing the work and deconstructing existing systems of oppression while adapting to newer and better policies.