What is a capitalist society?

The essence of capitalism is that the capitalists fully control the economic, political and cultural fields in social life by virtue of capital (money). Generally speaking, capitalist society is a society ruled by the bourgeoisie.

Capital is the value (money) that brings surplus value by exploiting and hiring workers. In capitalist society, there are three forms of capital, one is monetary capital (money); Second, production capital, including factory buildings, machinery, raw materials and so on; The third is commodity capital, that is, new products containing surplus value. Although capital exists in the form of things, these things are not capital in themselves, but only when capitalists use them to exploit hired workers and bring surplus value, they are transformed into capital. The essence of capital is the exploitative relationship between the capitalist and the worker.

1. Economically, capitalist society is a society in which capitalists dominate wage labor by virtue of capital.

in capitalist society, there are two classes: capitalists and proletarians. Capitalists own the means of production, while proletarians have nothing but their own labor ability. The buying and selling of labor force is the basic premise and important feature of capitalist production. Workers transfer and hand over the use value of labor force, and realize and obtain the value of labor force; Capitalists pay the value of labor force with money, and get the use value of labor force. What workers sell to capitalists is labor rather than labor, which is the essence of labor buying and selling.

The buying and selling of labor force is carried out in the circulation field according to the principle of equivalent exchange. But in the process of labor, the labor force can not only create its own value V, but also create surplus value M.

2. Politically, capitalist society is a society in which capitalists hold state power by virtue of capital.

Capitalist countries are violent organs of bourgeois class rule and the largest political entity in capitalist society. Capitalist democracy is a democracy manipulated by money.

American painter Joseph Kaeppler's cartoon "The Bosses of the Senate" (illustrated in China textbook titled "The United States Senate under the Control of Monopoly Capitalists"):

The President of the United States is the general representative of the bourgeoisie, and many presidents themselves are big capitalists, including the current President Trump. Big capitalists sometimes decide state affairs directly.

J.P. Morgan, nicknamed "Pirate Morgan", has more power than the president. In 1895, due to economic difficulties and gold outflow, the gold reserve in new york's sub-treasury was only $9 million, and the highest amount of checks at that time was $12 million. President Cleveland invited Morgan, and Morgan said, "If someone comes to exchange gold today, everything will be over." He agreed to lead a syndicate to subscribe for $1 million in government bonds, to be paid in gold. He profited from it. In 191, he annexed 1 enterprises and formed the largest company in the world-American Steel Company. There was a joke at that time: the teacher asked Johnny, "Who created the world?" Johnny replied, "God created the world in 44 BC, and Jay Morgan reorganized the world in 191."

3. In terms of culture, capitalist society is a society in which capitalists control ideology by virtue of capital.

Capitalist cultural industry is not only a field for capitalists to make money, but also an important force for capitalists to control ideology. Freedom of speech in capitalist society is first and foremost the freedom of capitalists.

Murdoch, a media tycoon, went to inspect a newspaper after he bought it. He grabbed the proof of the newspaper and made a big change. The editor-in-chief dared to disagree, Murdoch said: My newspaper should reflect my will!