SGY 14

Citizenship and capitalism are inevitably opposed to one another

Citizenship is a membership in a community. They share certain values and believes that has to be adopted to be part of the community. They are expected to perform certain duties in accordance to the law of the community. Being a citizen makes you liable as contributors to the development of the country in the aspect of political, economical and social status. Their personal choices as a consumer to products and services influences the drive to the making for citizenship in the society. Citizens are also given rights and privileges to social and working life for example only people with citizenship are allowed in government jobs and social welfares.
Capitalism is an economic system where the exchange of wealth, investment, production and distribution is maintained by corporations or private individuals. It is a system that encourages class in the society. It creates wealth in the country but defines the rich and the poor. Many people accept the system because it works for the well being of the country. It is fair because individuals can work their way up the class based on their abilities and achievements or fall in status due to circumstances. It is said that ‘Capitalism is the only social system that rewards virtue and punishes vice’ (C. Bradley, 1993).
The concept of capitalism involves a system that can change lives of individuals drastically. The impact could be either negative or positive due to the market fluctuations beyond individual’s control.
Capitalism is system involves individual citizen’s life chances can be changed radically for the better or the worse as a result of market fluctuations entirely beyond their control. Pricing system that doesn't reflect real costs but billions citizens of every country requirements system, and therefore are left to no choice and inevitability oppose to this system.

1. Firstly, Citizen’s wages are determined by the fierce struggle between capitalist and worker. The capitalist inevitably wins. The capitalist can live longer without the worker than the worker can live without him.
2. Secondly, According to economist Adam Smith, the normal wage is the lowest which is compatible with common humanity -- i.e., with a bestial existence. [Smith, 1776, Vol. I, p. 61) therefore, to prevent the race of workers dying out the capitalist keep to the lowest and the only necessary rate that is required for the subsistence of the worker during work and enough extra to support a family

Capitalist affect the working class citizen and the non working class. Citizens enjoy prosperity while the capitals and revenue of the country grows. Individuals will find working or harbouring labour not a chore but rewarding. The rise of wages leads to overworking among the labourers. They sacrifice more time, freedom, and social life to work for the sake of more income. In doing so, they sacrificed their health, neglect their families, lost their dignity which ending with problematic kids and family breaking ups. This phenomenon creates a renewed demand; thus the working class must always sacrifice a part of itself for the good of its class as a whole.
On another hand, capitalist only operates on its capitals. Their power purchases other powers, which nothing could resist. As society become increasingly prosperous, only the richest can continue to be richer from the return of investment with money. The banks require a substantial amount if we would want to gain substantial return in amount from interest in term deposits. Some other capitalist is required to put their businesses on the market as a deposit or guarantee in capitals acquire. As a result, the competition among the capitalists increases.
“The person who acquires, or succeeds to a great fortune, does not necessarily acquire or succeed to any political power.... The power which that possession immediately and directly conveys to him, is the power of purchasing; a certain command over all the labour, or over all the produce of labour, which is then in the market." (Smith, pp. 26-7)
Therefore, capitalist acquired power and wealth through command labour and its products because he is the owner of capital, not only that he also has the purchasing power and the citizens depend on these capitalist for the possibility and the means of realizing their activity.
In conclusion, we see here that capitalism and citizenship are interdependent and they are also inevitably opposed to one another. Without capitalist, the citizen would not realise their activities and without the citizens capitalist would not be able to acquire their wealth and status.



Reference list
• Bradley, C. (1993) Socialism vs. Capitalism: Which is the Moral System On Principle, v1n3, Retrieved 23 January 2007 http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/onprin/v1n3/thompson.html

• National Archive Australia, http://www.naa.gov.au, Viewed 24 January 2007

• Smith, A. (1776) An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Everyman's Library (London: Dent & Sons, 1904)

• Bulbeck, C. (1998) Social Sciences in Australia, Victoria, Thomson Learning, Australia