Emergence of capitalism was due to microcapitalism
Gerschenkron (as Braudel cited, 1986) states that: "True capitalism emerged in a microcapitalism of tenderos" (p. 70).
Starting from this statement and based on the distinctive features of modernity along with the thought of several notable figures, both historians and economists, I intend to expose the conditions that enabled the emergence of capitalism;In the same way, to understand the way in which the economy begins to become a specific discipline, that is, as a science;Recognizing for this, the mode of production that prepared before capitalism, followed by specific historical facts.
Feudalism, characteristics of the Middle Ages, intends a pact, the vassalage. On the one hand, the vassal looked the lands or the fief, in exchange for food, protection and housing, and on the other hand was the feudal lord who owned these lands. In this context, capitalism emerges being understood as “an economy in which production is organized based on obtaining benefits instead of doing so for their own consumption or by political obligation” (Chang, 2014, p. 30). The worker will use his workforce in exchange for a salary, so that Faith City will leave its traditional economy that revolved around agriculture to give way to a commercial economy, an industrialist.
While we know, the Middle Ages or known as darkness, was characterized by a series of facts that implied a stagnation, compared to the old age. The Middle Age, had the particularity of theocentrism, that is, everything revolved around God;The Church had a great weight in politics, influencing the life of humans. However, with the end of the Middle Ages, man presents a significant change. The individualistic spirit begins, man becomes the center of the universe. Anthropocentrism, humanism and rebirth emerge breaking with the values of the Middle Ages, returning to classical culture, focused on human, beauty and life.
From then on, Europe, with the conquest of America, managed to develop economically. Precious metals meant an expansion of trade, creating what we currently know as triangular trade;in which they participated: América Africa and Europe with raw material, labor and elaborate matter, respectively. The riches produced by this system represented the engine for the economy, initiating competition between European territories. This is why new ways to accumulate these wealth and power were sought.
On the other hand, "with the reform there is the deep ascension of capitalism in the countries of northern Europe" (Braudel, 1986, p. 75). Protestant reform meant a deep change in society. Exponents such as Martin Luther or Juan Calvino, realized the deficiencies of the Catholic Church, such as: bad organization or excessive interest in power and wealth. It is for this reason that, since the sale of indulgences, Luther begins to expose a series of reforms for the Church themselves that were present in all social classes. Protestantism had no only religious effects, but influenced the political and social spheres, in turn, the power of the Church was delegitimized, freedom of worship was encouraged and with this, freedom of thought thus changing, perception, perceptionof the work and the accumulation of capital, such as Pizarro Accountant (2016) mentions: “Since the 16th century, the defining feature of the capitalist world economy is the incessant prioritization of capital accumulation” (p. 24).
Thanks to the surplus of agricultural production, a market trade begins. Little by little riches accumulate, thus emerging a new social class, the bourgeoisie. Braudel (1986) emphasizes that:
The world of merchandise or exchange, is strictly hierarchical (…), specialization, the division of labor, which does nothing more than quickly accentuate to the compass of the processes of the market economy affects this entire commercial company, except exceptAt its top, that of capitalist businessmen (P.66).
From trade in markets, as a frequent activity, the development of the independent economy is established gradually. The economy has always been present from the oldest civilizations. Barter, commerce, fairs, stock exchange or forms of credit are some examples of the exchange instruments or institutions that have always coexist with societies. However, in his study as a science, Polanyi (2015) will understand it as: “The result of the application of the formal economy to an economic activity of a defined type, that is, to the market system” (p. 194). This comes from the hand of the development of economic activity in Europe, along with thinkers such as Santo Tomás de Aquino or Adam Smith and that is when people begin to become aware of their economic acts or their economic life as mentioned (Braudel, 1986), which begins with a process of rationalization within the economy, thus resulting, the study of this. In short, as Naredo (2003) points out:
The economy as an independent science, must, "says Marshall- of the main Mañera to which he deals with that part of human action that is more likely to be regulated by measurable mobiles, and that, therefore, lends itself more than any other to theanalysis and systematic reasoning. We cannot measure all the mobiles of any kind, whether they are high or low, as they are in themselves;We can only measure your driving force (…) with due precautions, money is an estimated measure of the driving force of much of the mobiles that act in human life. (p. 218)
Thanks to all of the above, we can clarify that capitalism arises and subsequently develops thanks to factors such as: the conquest of America, production surpluses, trade, rebirth and reform. This does not imply that there are no other elements. However, I consider that those mentioned during this essay constituted the most significant. Despite this, we cannot forget that capitalism, as Nedo (2003) defines it: "It is a concrete social system that has been forged in the historical future" (p. XXXVI). So we can ensure that, just as capitalism is also developing. Pizarro Accountant (2016), as confirmed by “capitalists can no longer obtain enough surplus value capable of validating their efforts as dominant actors of the system” (p. 9). Reaching an imminent crisis.
The origin of capitalism is strongly linked to hierarchies and is that this mode of production is for Wallenstein (as Braudel, 1986): "A creation of the inequality of the world" (p. 100). This ended taking advantage of the work of the exploited classes and gave more privileges to the ruling class. Although over the years, workers have rights that allow them healthier working conditions, although we would like to get out of this capitalist world in which we live, there is an adequate substitute (Braudel, 1986). However, new ways of seeing the economy are gradually emerging as is the case of the social economy, which according to Coraggio (2011): “It cannot be only for the poor, but must be a proposal for all citizenswhich also ensures the inclusion of the poor, of the excluded ”(p. 51).
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