Market Capitalism and Materialism

Abstract

Most human beings has a desire to own things; in older times, tribal man had little to acquire because he was always on the move and produced nothing of value to own. In the agricultural age, the institution of private property appeared and gained legitimacy, which enabled it to play an important role in shaping social relations and structures. Though private property facilitated the accumulation of capital, which facilitated progress, private property is partially responsible for the poverty, exploitation, inequality and racism we have today. However, history shows that every society that came after the tribal one was more materialistic and more inclined to exploit others than its predecessor.