“Capitalism is structurally racist.” You’ve probably seen this claim in think pieces, academic papers, or social media debates. The argument suggests that capitalism, as an economic system, inherently creates and perpetuates racial inequality. It’s a serious charge that deserves serious examination. But before we dive into whether capitalism promotes or prevents racism, we need to establish something important: racism describes thoughts, feelings, and behaviors—things that only individuals possess. Systems don’t have thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. They don’t possess the agency required to be “racist” or “not racist.” Yes, this might sound like we’re splitting hairs. And no, pointing this out …

In our last post, we explored how capitalism and environmental protection aren’t opposing forces but natural allies. Today, let’s dive deeper into one of the most powerful yet counterintuitive tools for environmental protection that also happens to be a key feature of capitalism: private property rights. “But wait,” you might be thinking, “doesn’t private ownership lead to exploitation? Aren’t greedy corporations the ones polluting our rivers and clear-cutting our forests?” It’s a reasonable concern, but it misses a crucial economic principle that explains why the opposite is often true. To understand this, we need to start with a concept that …

“Capitalism is killing the planet.” You’ve probably heard this claim or something like it. The narrative is familiar: profit-hungry corporations belch pollutants into our air and dump toxins into our water with no regard for anything but their bottom line. According to this view, only the strong, regulatory hand of government stands between us and environmental catastrophe. It’s a compelling story—but is it accurate? In our previous discussions, we’ve explored what capitalism really means: a system based on private ownership, voluntary exchange, and individual decision-making. Now let’s apply this understanding to environmental questions. The standard environmental narrative often begins with …

In our last post, we explored the differences between capitalism and mercantilism, touching briefly on how tariffs are one of mercantilism’s most enduring policy tools. Today, let’s dig deeper into these import taxes and why, despite their appeal to some, they ultimately undermine the prosperity that capitalism creates. It’s not hard to understand why tariffs remain politically popular. When a domestic industry faces tough competition from overseas, the appeal to “protect jobs” by imposing tariffs can sound compelling and patriotic. The benefits of tariffs are visible and concentrated. When a steel mill stays open because foreign steel now costs more, …