Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone. — John Maynard Keynes
The author of this opening quote was one of the most influential economists of the 20th Century. As the architect of a “Keynesian” perspective on the important role played by government in corralling capitalistic tendencies, John Maynard Keynes provides us with a jumping off place for considering our personal sense of Worth as these “wicked” tendencies impact it. In what ways do we determine Worth based on the accumulation of wealth? How does the capitalistic Pull toward profitability lead to a Push against establishing safe working conditions and designing jobs to be meaningful and self-motivating? Where is the bridge between personal and collective worth in a capitalistic society, or does such a bridge exist? Perhaps, the bridge is only found in a Keynesian regulation of capitalistic practices.
In seeking to address these questions, I consider the role played by capitalism in the work-life of those living in modern and postmodern societies. These are societies where profit reigns supreme, and the bridge between personal and collective worth has never existed or is broken. I use an analysis done by Dr. Rosalind Sun and me several years ago of women who worked in the 19th-century mills of New England and the Harvey Restaurants of the late 19th and early 20th-century American West (Sun and Bergquist, 2021). For these women, there was little else in their lives than their work. Capitalism pervaded their head and heart, leaving them with few means to find a sustained sense of Personal Worth. Furthermore, the society where they lived and worked offered little in the way of Collective Worth. There was only the accumulating financial Worth of those American entrepreneurs who owned the mills and restaurants in which they worked.
I set the stage for this interplay between Worth and Capitalism by reviewing the primary conditions found in a capitalistic society.
Fundamental Conditions of Capitalism
For many people, capitalism is emotionally and politically charged. It is hard to approach any analysis of capitalism without exposing one’s biases. However, no description concerning the locus of control in the work life of many people would be fair without some thought given to the powerful societal forces that operate on and around contemporary work life. I therefore venture with some trepidation into the world of economics and politics.
