75 Abibisika (Black Gold) Points

Rank: Unranked Obibini

Why Afrikans Should Not Be Capitalists
by Master See

In order to effectively deal with capitalism we must be clear on what it is, it’s defining characteristics. The dictionary definition is inadequate at best and actually is misleading. I’ll get to that a bit later.

Too many people think that owning a business and/or engaging in trade makes one a capitalist. This is false. Business and trade has existed for almost as long as humans have existed while capitalism is, at best, about 800+ years old.
Capitalism originated in northern Europe with what is today called England playing a pivotal role, particularly in the development of industrial capitalism. Let’s focus on England. The Normans invaded and conquered England in 1066 c.e. Immediately, they began consolidating their conquest by killing most of the English leaders and assessing the “riches” of the land. They then put in place a complex shitstem of expropriation and exploitation that enabled a “primitive accumulation” of wealth.

They also began the Enclosures whose aim was to ensure the total dependence of “commoners” on the new regime. The new rulers began fencing in “common areas” which included forests, and denied free access to lakes, streams and rivers and other areas that the “common folk” used to extract natural resources for day-to-day life. They forbade commoners from hunting and fishing on the “lord’s lands” which included all the newly fenced in common areas. They were also forbidden to do any mining, cutting of trees, etc. In other words, the new elites monopolized natural resources. This of course placed tremendous hardships on the people and, quite understandably, the people rebelled.

Their efforts to end the enclosures failed however due to the Norman’s monopolization of violence. Commoners did not have the wealth or technical skills to produce or purchase metal weapons, armor or horses. Only the new elites had such wealth and the knights, their paid assassins, yes the same knights extolled as righteous heroes, slaughtered the common people by the tens of thousands.

The Normans insisted on the mass production of wool and even resorted to destroying the homes and farms of peasants in an effort to clear the way for sheep pastures and force the peasants to work for them in the new “economic venture.” This and other economic initiatives enabled the “primitive accumulation of capital” by the new elites making possible the rise of mercantilism described by some as economic nationalism.

Mercantilism was characterized by various European nations engaging in open economic warfare against each other in an effort to gain an economic advantage. This period is marked by almost constant skirmishes and open warfare. Mercantilism began around 1500 c.e. and, really and truly, has merely cooled somewhat not entirely stopped as can be seen by current events. Mercantile competition and the ensuing wars were played out wherever they traveled in their global misadventures.

While the Enclosures began in the 12th century c.e., they accelerated in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries with the advent of industrial technology. Now, the elites had to accelerate the enclosures to force the peasants off the farms and sheep pastures and into the cities and the gruesome factories that awaited the new work force. Read Charles Dickens and other writers on the inhuman conditions that men, women and children were subjected to in these factories.

Some suggest that feudalism and mercantilism were not capitalism but were precursors at best. The error here is, again, not keeping in mind the defining characteristics of capitalism and they are as indicated above:

1. The monopolization of natural resources (the Enclosures) by a tiny elite;

2. The monopolization of violence (metal weapons, horses and mercenaries – knights) by a tiny elite;

3. The monopolization of the cultural narrative (commoners were indoctrinated by the church, catholic and protestant, and were not educated) by a tiny elite.

While capitalism has certainly evolved since its birth around the 12th century c.e., all three defining characteristics of capitalism have remained remarkably consistent up to today. At different times in history and with changing circumstances, any one of the three Pillars of Capitalism might take precedence, but you can rest assured that they are not about to abandon a ‘winning plan.’

This is a very brief overview of the development of capitalism that, hopefully, encourages the reader to learn more. There are literally thousands of books, as you can imagine, about the history and development of capitalism.

Finally, with the history of capitalism well known to us, it is clear that it is diametrically opposed to Afrikan economic systems. How so? Afrikan elites who attempted to implement any of the 3 pillars of capitalism were immediately abandoned by the people, deposed or killed. The Afrikan approach to managing natural resources is well-documented and easy to find and bears no resemblance to the Enclosures that characterize capitalism.

As we inspect the pages of history, we can see that capitalism has a value shitstem defined by its activities over the centuries of its existence. Many see no problem with capitalism just the people who manage it which is ridiculous. An ideological system cannot be separated from the people who created and maintain it. As you can see from the above, capitalism was created by a tiny elite for the purpose of enriching themselves and their posterity by any means necessary. Capitalism is a predatory, hyper-elitist, militarist, rogue economic shitstem that relegates too many to hyper-exploitation and early death. It is anti-human, anti-life, anti-peace, anti-competition, anti-woman, anti-Afrikan, anti-democratic, anti-intellectual, anti-union, anti-family, anti-community and anti-nation.

In fact, we might say that capitalism is a revolutionary ideology that successfully and, in many cases, forcibly overthrew the remnants of ancient value systems still in existence on the planet. Ancient value systems were concerned with, first and foremost, survival, then, prosperity. So, it became evident very quickly that cooperation must be dominant while allowing competition to exist, that sharing was more effective than going it alone for survival and continuing life of the people, that communities are more valuable than individuals.

Now we should be able to discern why the dictionary definition is inadequate. Let’s take a look at one: “A way of organizing an economy so that the things that are used to make and transport products (such as land, oil, factories, ships, etc.) are owned by individual people and companies rather than by the government.” Sounds innocuous, right? Well, scroll up and see how capitalism developed and you will know who the “property owners” ALWAYS are – the capitalists themselves. In other words, under a capitalist shitstem only a tiny elite is allowed to truly be “property owners” and capitalists. It’s like an exclusive club whose members are strictly vetted and must meet certain criteria. Most of the citizens of capitalist countries are, therefore, capitalist sympathizers at best. If you doubt this, check out the economic inequality figures for America or any capitalist “nation” for that matter. Some will hurriedly point out that people “own” homes or a few acres of land however, these few things cannot be compared to the vast wealth and landholdings of the capitalist elite. In fact, the little debt scheme that allows non-capitalists to “own” property and homes is merely to pacify the hyper-exploited masses in the face of brutal economic inequalities. In order to over-stand capitalism, we must put down the dictionary and open the history book.

Afrikan people must not continue the life of this inhuman shitstem by adopting it. We need to Sankofa and put on our thinking caps to devise an economic system that is true to our traditional values and will ensure the prosperity of Afrikan people.