The term capitalism was never coined or used before Marxism. You could find ideals and concepts that were adopted by the capitalist movement such as laissez-faire. But these were independent concepts separately developed.

Technically correct, but capitalist and capital were both in use before Marx. In any case it’s certainly more correct that Marxism is a response to capitalism, rather than the inverse.

When Karl Marx wrote his book, it was in response to the aristocracy and bourgeois owning majority of the resources. He proposed resources be distributed amongst the people in service of the people or “working class” and proposed government take on this role.

Capitalism was termed and grouped together in response to Marxist philosophy because it was a threat to the aristocracy. Capitalism proposed anyone and everyone can get rich if they slave away hard enough. Yet the “capitalists” still owned much of the capital resources.

It is important to note that the normal person did not have too much opportunity in the mid 1800s. If you seen the movie the “English Game” this is evident in there. The concept of working hard and getting rich was introduced in the early 20th century. This is also about the time when schooling had become compulsory throughout the United States.

Ah, I think we might be talking about different things when we talk about capitalism.

I’m using the word to describe an economic system where the means of production are controlled by private capital (ie: capitalists). In such a system, capitalists are able to deploy capital to exploit the labor value of the working classes. This is what Marxism emerged in response to, and as I understand it, is what Marx attempts to describe in Capital.

It seems you’re using the term the way American/NATO Cold War propagandists used it, to describe a free economy where anyone can succeed with enough hard work and determination (in contrast to the Soviet system of planned economies).

The confusion is understandable. The word “capitalism” covers both meanings in everyday use.

Interesting. I didn’t think there were two different meanings. I’m heavily influenced my Cold War propagandist. I’m going to have to re-study Marxist philosophy from this new perspective.