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Financial crises, geopolitical tensions, and inequalities are often attributed to capitalism, yet it is precisely this system that has ensured unprecedented well-being and opportunities, remaining the driving force behind the growth and progress of our society. This is the central theme of The Capitalist Manifesto: Why the Free Market Will Save the World by Johan Norberg, curated by Luca Bellardini. A book that debunks the myths of economic and social decline, offering a clear reflection on how to defend and enhance the principles that have made our development possible.

THE NEW WORLD

For more than nine years—since Trump entered politics—we have repeatedly heard that the old globalized world, which for years adhered to the canon of liberal democracy, was coming to an end; not only due to economic hardships but also because of political defeats inflicted by so-called populists. Certainly, there have been multiple shocks: first the global financial crisis, then the turmoil of sovereign debt, the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street; then Brexit, the MAGA movement, COVID-19, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the chaos in the Middle East. A world in upheaval—economically, health-wise, militarily—that seems to bear little resemblance to the order that prevailed between the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11.

Many have seized the opportunity: what if capitalism is to “blame”? And what if this system is on its way to decline, overwhelmed by the negative consequences of climate change and the apparent worsening of inequalities? In The Capitalist Manifesto: Why the Free Market Will Save the World, which I curated for the Italian edition released by Liberilibri a few weeks ago, Johan Norberg—a Swedish intellectual who has spent years debunking these myths—directly confronts all these criticisms, even the most implausible and ideological ones. He offers us a comprehensive reflection on everything we should celebrate in modern society, why we tend to despise our achievements, and the solutions we could adopt to address contemporary challenges.  

A MISGUIDED PERCEPTION

According to some, globalization essentially equates to capitalism, particularly the pervasive spread of financial activities. Everything else, in their view, simply does not exist; and so today, they claim, we are facing a world in open decline, dangerous and uncontrollable, where new “oligarchies”—as Biden suggested in his farewell speech, likely alluding to Big Tech and primarily to Elon Musk—have taken over. Moreover, these same people are convinced that the capitalist economy is the result of a grand conspiracy of “big fish” at the expense of the small ones; and that the role of intellectuals is to awaken the consciousness of those who fail to see a new form of slavery, much like in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (the favorite philosopher, always, of those who do not hold freedom in high regard).

Then there is reality, in which openly anti-capitalist books become bestsellers, and many people find themselves exposed—even unintentionally—to a barrage of anti-market messages. At least according to media narratives, hostility toward work (especially if performed “in person” in offices) and the demystification of its social role appear to be spreading, along with a distrust in building a family and social network, and a growing disinterest in social life in public places and the outdoors. These might seem fragmented, disconnected themes, or purely anthropological trends—but they are not. They are the fruits of capitalist civilization, which has made available to everyone—including the less affluent—a range of activities that, just a few years ago, were reserved for the wealthy or took on vastly different forms depending on social class.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

And that is why, Norberg explains, we should commit to defending Western society. “We have nothing to lose”—he writes, paraphrasing the conclusion of Marx and Engels’ Manifesto—except the remnants of a pre-capitalist economy (feudal, basic) and the elements that collectivism has gradually insinuated, ultimately stifling individual aspirations in the name of a supposed greater good. The Capitalist Manifesto has many merits, but one stands out above all: it instills hope. As anyone who engages with young people knows, it is absolutely untrue that they are lazy, apathetic, rule-averse, and incapable of building a stable future for themselves and their loved ones. Nor is it true that the problems of contemporary society stem from greed and selfishness—the “capitalist sins” from which all others supposedly originate, including environmental degradation.

With empirical evidence in hand, Norberg illustrates how, on the contrary, allowing individuals to freely express their creativity and drive has always been the solution. He shows us that countries closest to the capitalist model have achieved success not only in political and administrative terms—such as drastically reducing poverty—but also, and most importantly, in social terms, improving everyday life. The book explains why the state is not the hero of the story; big corporations are not the villain; so-called “autocracies” (a term I will always consider a euphemism) do not represent a viable alternative to Western democracy; and when it comes to inequality, perhaps it is time to set aside the usual simplistic, overused metrics that reduce people to mere numbers without examining their subjective perceptions.

The “moral” of the story is that we should look deeper within ourselves, with fewer prejudices: we would discover that we have already written our own manifesto, one day after another, thanks to the contributions of all previous generations. It would be worth reading it more carefully, perhaps striving to implement it where it has remained a dead letter. Because capitalism is not an artificial construct: it is the state of nature. And that is why, despite countless attempts at deviation and the ramblings about its overthrow, it will continue to evolve—prevailing over all alternatives.

The book The Capitalist Manifesto (2024), written by Johan Norberg, published by Liberilibri, and edited by Luca Bellardini, is available in major online bookstores and on the publisher’s website.