ABSTRACT
Scholars have long debated the extent to which modern capitalism has been a progressive force in the lives of most individuals, Marxists have generally seen capitalism in negative terms, viewing it as creating a highly exploited working class doomed to a life of drudgery and alienated labor Most non-Marxists, on the other hand, have tended to see in capitalism the basis for a whole host of progressive outcomes, not least of which are rising standards of living and the emergence of governments devoted to democracy and freedom.
