The Capitalist Manifesto

by Andrew Bernstein

The Capitalist Manifesto defends capitalism as the world's most moral and practical social system. This book is written for the rational mind, whether the reader is a professional intellectual or an intelligent layman. It makes the case for individual rights and freedom in terms intelligible to all rational men.

Genres: Economics, Philosophy, Politics, History, Nonfiction, Business

500 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2005

About the author

Andrew Bernstein is an American philosopher. He is a proponent of Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, and the author of several books, both fiction and non-fiction.

Reviews

[CommunistFTW]

☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ COMMUNISM FTW☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭ ☭

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one took me about 5 months to plough through, but it was well worth the effort. Bernstein writes a very well-researched argument about why capitalism is successful and why communism and statism are miserable failures. He argues his case without too much emotion, which helps his credibility, but really, any idiot could look at history and see that communism/statism/socialism are the best ways to crash your economy and make your people miserable. The most incredible thing is that despite history's glaring examples with zero exceptions to the rules, people in power continue to be ostriches about the facts. (I particularly liked Bernstein's examples of Sweden and Hong Kong to illustrate different points in the spectrum). I have never understood people's insisting that socialism is superior to capitalism, and it's clear that Bernstein has no patience for it either. I'd written a much longer review with favorite quotes and so forth, but it got deleted, and I can't be bothered to write another one. Though the material is heavy, it is readable. I am no economist, and the reading was perfectly easy to understand. Still, there's a lot to chew on here. I spent probably about 10 actual days reading it, but I spent a lot more processing.

One quote I loved: "To the degree that men of physical force control a political-economic system, to that degree the men of creative mind power are shackled. To that same degree, then, men should expect the process of wealth creation to be curtailed. If governmental policy disallows the cause of wealth, then it ipso facto eliminates the effect."

There were several portions of this book that were commanding and compelling, but nothing gripped me as tightly as did the appendix. It was absolutely riveting - I could not put it down!

[José Antonio Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed Bernstein well supported case in defense of the Creative Minds and the Inventive Period. History has condemned the most productive minds of the XIX century. As humans, they were not perfect but sure were no "Robber Barrons". As productive geniuses we should take their example of the only proven way to quickly improve living standards for all.

The Inventive Period and its creative minds are the setting to explain the philosophical virtues of capitalism.

Highly recommended book for those in need of arguments to defend freedom from the its enemies.

[John Reis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This an informative book, but an uneven one. It is best when it is informing the reader of significant events in economic and business history. It is annoying in its use of the words “superlative genius.”

[Dwayne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary review of the history, theory, polemics, and economics of the only political system based on individualism and freedom. This will take an honored place on my five-star shelf.

[Ash Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this phenomenal work, Dr. Bernstein not only provides an abundance of factual information demonstrating the economic and moral superiority of capitalism, he also lays out the introductory framework of the philosophical theory that explains it. He begins by putting the advent of capitalism in its proper historical perspective, and includes chapters explaining the economic theory behind its enormous practical success as well as refuting common (yet clearly silly, after Dr. Bernstein is through with them) charges against capitalism (such as that it causes war, imperialism, and slavery).[return][return]But by far the most interesting and valuable chapters are those at the heart of the book, in which he provides a *moral* defense of capitalism, based on Ayn Rand's ethical theory of rational egoism. Dr. Bernstein understands that the system that promotes individual success and happiness on this earth (and who else's success and happiness is there to promote?) cannot be logically defended on altruistic grounds, and more: that it doesn't need to be, because egoism, as the system that does just that, is the only proper morality for mankind.[return][return]If any active-minded person reads this book and is not convinced by the wealth of information it provides, the only explanation is that they're suffering from a 'great disconnect' of their own (see Dr. Bernstein's introduction and afterword).[return][return]Highly recommended.

[Carine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A capitalist manifesto indeed

The Capitalist Manifesto is an impressive work of support and knowledge on capitalism's history, accomplishments and philosophical basis. Bernstein accomplished a great job detailing and explaining the morality capitalism and why a free society is a capitalist society.The book is also debunking economic and historical myths about capitalism and how the mess created and the poverty engendered by statism shouldn't be blamed - as it is generally the case today - on capitalism but on its real cau... (show more)

The Capitalist Manifesto is an impressive work of support and knowledge on capitalism's history, accomplishments and philosophical basis. Bernstein accomplished a great job detailing and explaining the morality capitalism and why a free society is a capitalist society.The book is also debunking economic and historical myths about capitalism and how the mess created and the poverty engendered by statism shouldn't be blamed - as it is generally the case today - on capitalism but on its real cause, statism.
A must-read.

[Jeffrey Falk · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not quite exhaustive, characteristically overoptimistic (despite the culture's successive lurches away from capitalism for over a century), and downplaying the statism of the present-day United States and its disastrous effects, Dr. Bernstein has crafted an integrated, powerful, compelling argument in favor of capitalism penetrating its deepest philosophic roots and adducing its status as the political-economic system of the human mind. It is teeming with fascinating facts and anecdotes (from young Cornelius Vanderbilt's government-sanctioned monopoly busting to the origins of Pepsi Cola's name to the racism of prominent nineteenth century anti-capitalists, including Charles Dickens). The author's "Annotated Bibliography of Liberty" is worth the book's price alone, and his comments there about Henry Hazlitt's "Economics In One Lesson" apply equally to his own book: "Should be required reading in every high school and university in the country."

[Garret Seinen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a non numerical tool for all those people who support capitalism from a political point of view rather than an economic one. There are plenty of good books describing the economic benefits of capitalism but few indeed that do justice to capitalism's moral superiority over all forms of statist political systems. He documents the historical record and points out where the distorted view we've come to accept originated, then proves that the accepted history of capitalism's evils have been distorted.

The author connects affluence with free minds; that the enlightenment period in Britain, lead to the inventive period, the fifty odd years beginning in the mid 1800 and changing some of the world from agrarian to industrial. In that time life expectancy doubled. The stage was set for automobiles, air travel and all sort of labor saving devices. A great book.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful historical and intellectual adventure! This book is a worthy follow-up to the works of Ayn Rand, from which it borrows much. In today's world which is declining into Socialism, it is very heartening to see this clear and comprehensive introduction to the only true system that has ever led Mankind to a higher standard of living and happiness, Capitalism.

[Ken Parsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most consistent, solid and understandable explanation of capitalism I have read. Andrew Bernstein's "The Capitalist Manifesto" defends capitalism historically, economically, philosophically, and morally. The true essence of capitalism is often a highly tense and confusing subject, that is, until one reads this book.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Being poor means that one has no money, not that one has no brains."

[Dennis Zachman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of capitalism.