A Lack of Money Means a Lack of Freedom
Capitalism’s defenders often claim that it protects “negative freedom” — an individual’s freedom from others interfering with their choices. But Marxist philosopher G. A. Cohen showed that capitalism systematically denies people just this kind of freedom.
Brooklyn resident collecting cans to cash in on October 27, 2021. (Ed Jones / AFP via Getty Images)
Imagine you’re trying to visit your sister in Glasgow. You live in the United States, so the only way for you to get to Scotland is on an airplane.
Let’s consider two versions of this story. In the first, you buy a ticket. You show up to the airport, try to pass through security — and discover you’re on the “No Fly List” the US government started after the September 11 terrorist attacks. In the second, you just can’t afford a ticket.
But imagine you are not deterred in either version of the story. If you somehow sneak past security and make it to the gate before you’re discovered, the two stories will end the same way. You’ll have a very unpleasant interaction with an airplane employee before an even more unpleasant interaction with law enforcement, and you’ll eventually wind up in a jail cell.
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