Introduction to Capitalism: The World We Live In

Satoshi Matsui

Preface

1. Capitalism

Is the economy all about money? : Commodities

Is market economy equal to capitalism? : Commodities

Is capital money? : Circulation of capital

Is money really necessary? : Money

Is capitalism unrelated to planned economies? : Planned economies

2. Corporations and Work

Are corporations run democratically? : Corporations

Do corporations need capitalists? : Corporations

Are wages a reward for labor? : Exploitation

Do wages increase proportionally to the amount of work done? : Absolute surplus value (extension of working hours)

Does hard work increase labor productivity? : Absolute surplus value (labor intensification)

3. Job Hunting

Is job hunting a normal thing? : Primitive accumulation of capital

Can you trust rankings of popular companies? : Reproduction schema

Do you want to work for a profitable company? : Surplus value

Is it okay as long as it's not a black company? : Production prices

4. Wealth

Does increasing labor productivity lead to everyone's wealth? : Relative Surplus Value

Will robots and AI take our jobs? : Relative Surplus Population

Is economic growth necessary? : Capital Accumulation

No distribution without growth? : [Economic Growth]

Can well-being be achieved through shopping alone? : [Consumption]

From savings to investment? : Interest and Credit

5. Inequality and Competition

Is there more equality now than in the past? : Class

Is the American Dream possible? : Class

Can saving money make you a capitalist? : Wages

Does competition invigorate individuals and society? : Alienation

6. Economic Policy

Are business cycles a natural phenomenon? : Depressions

Is "good inflation" good for everyone? : Money

Should Google be split up? : Monopoly

Are free trade and protectionism the only options? : [Trade]

Is the declining birthrate due to women entering the workforce? : Poverty

7. The State and Taxes

Market vs. the State? : The State

Is paying taxes a civic duty? : [Taxes]

Fair tax burden? : [Taxes]

Is private property inviolable? : [Taxes]

8. Towards Socialism

Does capitalism respect human rights? : [Human Rights]

Are consumer rights respected? : [Consumption]

Are capitalists responsible for their own actions? : The fundamental contradiction of capitalism

A new capitalism? : Towards socialism

Afterword