Cultural contradictions of capitalism

Author: He Guanghu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: This book discusses not only the cultural contradictions of capitalism. In a broader sense, it involves the contradictions of the bourgeois society. Merchants and manufacturers created this new world. After the 16th century, the middle class or bourgeoisie brought about a modernizing revolution in society, turning people's concerns away from military or religious matters and making economic activity the central task of society. Capitalism is a socio-economic system that is linked to commodity production based on cost accounting and relies on the continuous accumulation of capital to expand reinvestment. However, this unique new operational model involves a unique culture and a character structure. [characterstructure]. Culturally, its characteristic is self-actualization, which liberates individuals from traditional constraints and belonging ties (family or bloodline) so that they can "shape" themselves according to their subjective desires. In terms of character structure, it establishes norms of self-control and the principle of delayed gratification [delayedgratification], cultivating a serious intentioned behavioral pattern necessary for pursuing specific goals. It is precisely this fusion of the economic system with culture and character structure that constitutes bourgeois civilization. And to disassemble this combination and its intrinsic meaning is precisely the thematic thread that runs through this book.