“All mankind’s progress has been achieved as a result of the initiative of a small minority that began to deviate from the ideas and customs of the majority until their example finally moved the others to accept the innovation themselves.”
–Mises, Ludwig von. Liberalism (p. 54).

Of course, classical liberalism not only tolerates but supports the deviation in ideas and customs.

I’ve been trying to come up with a more encompassing definition of capitalism. The version of capitalism that has enriched mankind is the one that extends the liberty to better ones self through retention and investment of surplus earning to all individuals. As restrictions on who is granted the capitalism liberty increase, prosperity declines. And the capitalism liberty is granted since it is dependent upon the state permitting the retention of some portion of surplus earnings, i.e., net taxes, issuing license to operate, not overburdening with regulation, permitting use of real property, permitting trade in the produced good, etc.

It is indeed remarkable what people can accomplish when they finally become unburdened of the load of the adjectives and pejoratives that others keep trying to make them carry and live up to.

If one “reads closely” ( a really daunting task) the underlying theme for everything, wealth, technical progress, learning, that has taken us this far in so (relatively) short (and recent) a period is the effect of how we came (as Bourgeois, e.g.) to look upon and regard one another. Even the differences amongst societies in the nature of that regard, by degrees or practices, correlates to what has occurred economically – and ultimately in world violence. [Now ongoing]

I must admit that the cultural Marxism on display in the two paragraphs preceding the final is causing me much mood affiliation. Perhaps I am looking for disagreement as a result.

In particular, it’s about trying to get the rules changed so you win.

Some large fraction of attacks on capitalism/tax systems/electoral arrangements/trade arrangements etc etc is really “I and my people lost under this system, we want a different system were we win…” followed by some argument designed to sway the middle masses.

A related set of “attacks” can be summarized as “SOMEbody needs to be IN CHARGE! and by the way that SOMEbody should be ME…”