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Markets Not Capitalism: Individualist Anarchism Against Bosses, Inequality, Corporate Power, and Structural Poverty
'Markets Not Capitalism' explores the gap between radically freed markets and the capitalist-controlled markets that prevail today. The contributors argue that structural poverty can be abolished by liberating market exchange from state capitalist privilege, as well as helping working people to take control of their labour.
440 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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June 21, 2014There is now an authorized free audiobook version online at http://www.porctherapy.com/2012/09/19...
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August 12, 2013I tried, but it seems to be written primarily for people who are already on board with the philosophy being espoused. There's a lot of jargon and unconventional (though probably correct) use of political/economic terms that I couldn't get past.
I'm not rating it, since I didn't finish it.
I'm not rating it, since I didn't finish it.
May 23, 2018
“Markets Not Capitalism: Individualist Anarchism Against Bosses, Inequality, Corporate Power and Strucutral Povery” edited by Gary Chartier and Charles W. Johnson (link to the text/audiobook at the bottom of this review) provides an introduction, overview and argument for market anarchism and a discussion of related topics. The book is a collection of 48 essays by writers ranging from 19th century French mutualist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and American feminist Voltarine de Cleyre to 20th and 21st century writers like the economist Murray Rothbard and “Bleeding Heart Libertarian” Roderick Long.
While reading this book, I tried to keep my mind toward the perspective of a person who was unfamiliar to the topic in order to gauge how the book would serve as an introduction to market anarchism and some of the debates contained within this movement. To this end, the editors have done a phenomenal job of balancing their argument for readers who are new to the subject and for those who are familiar with the more esoteric aspects of the libertarian/anarchist philosophy.
There are, mainly in the first section, a few points where the terminology or context of a particular discussion might be lost on new readers but to them I say: power through! Parts II through VIII are where the interesting subjects come up and they are greatly enriched by the distinctions made in Part I (even if one doesn't fully comprehend them at the time).
Since the book is a collection of essays, it is difficult to provide a normal review so here are a few points of interest:
- The quintessential essay in this book is “Markets Freed from Capitalism” by Charles W. Johnson which defines three types of capitalism and how they diverge from a freed market based on voluntary interactions between individuals. This chapter outlines the argument and the distinctions that underlie much of the later chapters.
-“Big Business and the Rise of American Statism” by Roy Childs Jr. provides a historical overview of how big business and the State have reinforced and benefited one another at the expense of the people. This provides evidence and context to the claim in the initial essay of the book (“Freed Markets” by William Gillis) that truly free markets have not existed historically and should be seen as the goal of anarchism.
-“Socialist Ends, Market Means” by Gary Chartier (Ch. 14) discusses how a decentralized power structure based on voluntary interactions leads to the goal of equality.
- Part III discusses various aspects of property: it’s origins, the role of fairness, a critique of intellectual property and an argument for public property in an anarchist society.
- Part IV focuses on labor solidarity, the problems caused by regulation, and critiques of corporatism. An argument is also made, contrary to many anarcho-“capitalists” even though supported by Rothbardian philosophy, that in a society based on voluntary interactions, the structure of production would be chosen by those involved in them.
- Part VI discusses how, in a freed market, competition would diffuse wealth and dissolve fortunes; also, the role of the State in creating structural poverty and inequality.
- Part VIII discusses a variety of topics ranging from anti-racism, environmentalism and community organization within the anarchist movement and provides an excellent introduction to these topics.
Here is a link to the audiobook (~16 hours), PDF and hardcopy of the text: http://c4ss.org/content/12802
While reading this book, I tried to keep my mind toward the perspective of a person who was unfamiliar to the topic in order to gauge how the book would serve as an introduction to market anarchism and some of the debates contained within this movement. To this end, the editors have done a phenomenal job of balancing their argument for readers who are new to the subject and for those who are familiar with the more esoteric aspects of the libertarian/anarchist philosophy.
There are, mainly in the first section, a few points where the terminology or context of a particular discussion might be lost on new readers but to them I say: power through! Parts II through VIII are where the interesting subjects come up and they are greatly enriched by the distinctions made in Part I (even if one doesn't fully comprehend them at the time).
Since the book is a collection of essays, it is difficult to provide a normal review so here are a few points of interest:
- The quintessential essay in this book is “Markets Freed from Capitalism” by Charles W. Johnson which defines three types of capitalism and how they diverge from a freed market based on voluntary interactions between individuals. This chapter outlines the argument and the distinctions that underlie much of the later chapters.
-“Big Business and the Rise of American Statism” by Roy Childs Jr. provides a historical overview of how big business and the State have reinforced and benefited one another at the expense of the people. This provides evidence and context to the claim in the initial essay of the book (“Freed Markets” by William Gillis) that truly free markets have not existed historically and should be seen as the goal of anarchism.
-“Socialist Ends, Market Means” by Gary Chartier (Ch. 14) discusses how a decentralized power structure based on voluntary interactions leads to the goal of equality.
- Part III discusses various aspects of property: it’s origins, the role of fairness, a critique of intellectual property and an argument for public property in an anarchist society.
- Part IV focuses on labor solidarity, the problems caused by regulation, and critiques of corporatism. An argument is also made, contrary to many anarcho-“capitalists” even though supported by Rothbardian philosophy, that in a society based on voluntary interactions, the structure of production would be chosen by those involved in them.
- Part VI discusses how, in a freed market, competition would diffuse wealth and dissolve fortunes; also, the role of the State in creating structural poverty and inequality.
- Part VIII discusses a variety of topics ranging from anti-racism, environmentalism and community organization within the anarchist movement and provides an excellent introduction to these topics.
Here is a link to the audiobook (~16 hours), PDF and hardcopy of the text: http://c4ss.org/content/12802
January 4, 2015
Excellent presentation of freed-market and mutualistic economic and political theory. This series of short, clear essays from a variety of writers. dating from the late 1800s through the present day touches on everything from the development of the theories themselves to the solutions they propose to a number of problems. Eye-opening perspectives and a challenging and empathetic focus on non-coercive responses to often systemic non-equalities in a range of economic spheres.
December 16, 2017
People usually associate libertarianism as a creature of the Right. Lower taxes, gun freedom, ending regulation, and so on. But the essays in Markets Not Capitalism make quite a strong case that libertarianism is just as concerned with typically "Left" issues: racial discrimination, the problems of big business, wealth inequality, "wage slavery," environmentalism, and more. With authors ranging from Benjamin Tucker to Murray Rothbard, this book is a great antidote for the "corporate apologetics" style of libertarianism so prominent in the movement today.
September 1, 2019
I couldn't make up my mind whether this was for people new to Market Anarchism or for veterans. The tone of the book is fairly inciting, and the introduction is poorly written and structured. Some of the essays could stand further development: a lot of the intuitive leaps required further justification. There are some sources given throughout though: this is not merely a tirade, to its credit (although some small sections of it are).
June 16, 2013
Interesting, original perspectives. Series of short essays/opinion pieces allows for lots of range, but found some arguments were not fully developed.
November 10, 2022
I like reading books about anarchism & left-libertarian ideology. I don’t necessarily agree with everything they strive to achieve, but the philosophy is really interesting and they help me see things from a new perspective.
This book really helped me better ground my understanding of how the state is necessary for all forms of corporate systems. Even the corporate structure leftists oppose can only exist with the express approval of the state. (This was covered in Joel Bakan’s two books: "The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power" (2003) and "The New Corporation: How ‘Good’ Corporations Are Bad for Democracy" (2020). Both of which I highly recommend.)
It’s also got a great section on why US libertarians (right-libertarians) and “Anarcho”-Capitalists (Neo-Feudalists) are so often seen as corporate shills. Which was fun.
Do I want all aspects of our world dictated by “market forces?” No.
Do I want all aspects of our world dictated by centralized state powers? No.
This book did make me roll my eyes from time to time that since no state coercion is acceptable, supposedly all the world’s woes (corporations dumping poison, systematic racism, etc) can be solved with market forces and contracts just comes across as far fetched.
If you think you’re a libertarian, read this book so you can either learn about the ideology you claim to support, or learn that you’re really just a conservative who’s obsessed with guns and/or weed.
If you’re a liberal who thinks anarchism means chaos, or think capitalism and markets are synonymous (Warrenites where you at?), read this book to correct your misunderstandings.
If you’re a leftist, check it out if it interests you.
This book really helped me better ground my understanding of how the state is necessary for all forms of corporate systems. Even the corporate structure leftists oppose can only exist with the express approval of the state. (This was covered in Joel Bakan’s two books: "The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power" (2003) and "The New Corporation: How ‘Good’ Corporations Are Bad for Democracy" (2020). Both of which I highly recommend.)
It’s also got a great section on why US libertarians (right-libertarians) and “Anarcho”-Capitalists (Neo-Feudalists) are so often seen as corporate shills. Which was fun.
Do I want all aspects of our world dictated by “market forces?” No.
Do I want all aspects of our world dictated by centralized state powers? No.
This book did make me roll my eyes from time to time that since no state coercion is acceptable, supposedly all the world’s woes (corporations dumping poison, systematic racism, etc) can be solved with market forces and contracts just comes across as far fetched.
If you think you’re a libertarian, read this book so you can either learn about the ideology you claim to support, or learn that you’re really just a conservative who’s obsessed with guns and/or weed.
If you’re a liberal who thinks anarchism means chaos, or think capitalism and markets are synonymous (Warrenites where you at?), read this book to correct your misunderstandings.
If you’re a leftist, check it out if it interests you.
July 30, 2023
Good introduction to how statism contributes to economic and social inequalities with detailed historical and contemporary examples. The core argument that large corporations and wealth accumulation would not be possible without state subsidies made convincing and consistent.
It is a recommended read for anyone thinking that regulation will make the world more just. History shows time and time again how even the best intentions get corrupted in the coercive state system. A particularly nuanced argument made by Kevin Carson is that deregulation (as preached by most free market proponents) can be unjust too if approached without addressing the roots of systemic inequality.
I enjoyed writing style of some of the contributors much more than others. Maybe editors could emphasize readability over originality and academic writing style more.
It is a recommended read for anyone thinking that regulation will make the world more just. History shows time and time again how even the best intentions get corrupted in the coercive state system. A particularly nuanced argument made by Kevin Carson is that deregulation (as preached by most free market proponents) can be unjust too if approached without addressing the roots of systemic inequality.
I enjoyed writing style of some of the contributors much more than others. Maybe editors could emphasize readability over originality and academic writing style more.
February 12, 2020
This collection of essays made a series of solid arguments regarding the distinction between capitalism and the free market and how the latter should be approached. I found myself in general agreement with the book’s key arguments though I don’t quite agree with its overall thesis that capitalism as a term should be given up or some of the arguments regarding environmentalism in a libertarian society. Still it was a thought provoking read that made me consider the application of my principles in new ways.
August 12, 2018
The reason I gave this book an average rating is that it was my first book on anarchism, anyway some of the arguments in these essays seemed to lack a comprehensive understanding of society!
Even though criticizing big government is legitimate one cannot negate the need for a welfare state especially in today's america. Anarchism describes a utopian society with disregards to historical burdens and outside interactions, the arguments in this book could not convince me... not fully.
Even though criticizing big government is legitimate one cannot negate the need for a welfare state especially in today's america. Anarchism describes a utopian society with disregards to historical burdens and outside interactions, the arguments in this book could not convince me... not fully.
September 12, 2024
An excellent introduction to Market Socialism/Anti-Capitalist Libertarianism, however it is very much geared toward people who are already Anarchists/or at minimum right libertarians or socialists open to the ideas of this book. I found it very enlightening, but it is a book with a very specific target audience.
June 11, 2024
I lost count of the number of times I wrote “Wait, what?” or “No” in the margins.
January 29, 2021
The biggest flaw I see in the lib-right masses is an extremely narrow moral circle. No step on snek. These people aren't the masses. They're lib-right intellectuals, with a much bigger moral circle (still, sadly, excluding other species at the very least), but their blithe optimism is problematic. I'm increasingly coming to see anarchism as having valuable insight to offer, pointing out real problems with big government (some of the essays in this book go into particulars about cases of the US government doing things like trying to use regulations to solve problems that were clearly caused by regulations), and then leaping to shakier ground in confidently asserting that with no government at all, everything would work out much better. There are at least two major issues with that. One is moral patients who are affected by a society while lacking agency within it (back to moral circles and other species). The other is coordination problems. How, for instance, would the Untied Stateless Zone of America have handled COVID-19? Probably even worse than the United States of America did.
September 11, 2017
Quite possibly the best book in market anarchism that I've read yet! So much better than the straw men offered up by Molyneux.
August 1, 2025
At the end of the day I just kinda think these people are nuts. An interesting nuts, like Ayn Rand. But still nuts.
It just feels like they want to take away the things that have kept Capitalism from killing the world outright, and this is a good thing because. . . no satisfactory answer was given, basically it just runs off into the woods with these ideas of what should happen and seems to think that means those things *will* happen.
Moreover, I'm in the post-capitalist-futurist camp that thinks the next century will bring such radical change that we will end up in a non-scarcity economy, in which capitalism does not even have a place -- let alone present the best tools for dealing with our needs. So maybe I'm just dismissive.
Edit 2025: I was not political as an intentional considered thing when I read this book originally but I largely stand by my dismissive attitude of it. I no longer believe there is a bright future ahead, however, capitalism has already sealed the end of global scale societies and possibly mammals as a kind of a life which can survive the planet. All that remains is waiting for the bill to come due. I was an anarcho-communist for several years between 2016 and 2023 when I believed there was any chance a better world was possible. It's not. We lost. Hell there never even was a "we" for leftists, there were and are too few, too disorganized, with too little capacity for action.
It just feels like they want to take away the things that have kept Capitalism from killing the world outright, and this is a good thing because. . . no satisfactory answer was given, basically it just runs off into the woods with these ideas of what should happen and seems to think that means those things *will* happen.
Moreover, I'm in the post-capitalist-futurist camp that thinks the next century will bring such radical change that we will end up in a non-scarcity economy, in which capitalism does not even have a place -- let alone present the best tools for dealing with our needs. So maybe I'm just dismissive.
Edit 2025: I was not political as an intentional considered thing when I read this book originally but I largely stand by my dismissive attitude of it. I no longer believe there is a bright future ahead, however, capitalism has already sealed the end of global scale societies and possibly mammals as a kind of a life which can survive the planet. All that remains is waiting for the bill to come due. I was an anarcho-communist for several years between 2016 and 2023 when I believed there was any chance a better world was possible. It's not. We lost. Hell there never even was a "we" for leftists, there were and are too few, too disorganized, with too little capacity for action.
July 17, 2016
This is a collection of essays on variety of topics and the position which market anarchists take. Some essays are very well selected but within some parts essays had substantial overlap making it not entertaining to read all essays. The collection however is valuable as a reference for interested people to investigate free market perspective.
August 10, 2017
Great if you're a pro-capitalist honestly wanting to get into the mindset of the left. This book is probably the best way to relate.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews