Capitalism’s coercion is impersonal, operating through economic need rather than direct command

Evidence

In the feudal system, a serf had independent access to their means of production and would surrender part of the product of their labor to the lord because of the status of the latter and out of fear of personal retaliation. Today a Starbucks employee signs a work contract without facing personal pressure; rather, the pressure arises from their economic need. The peculiarity of capitalism stems from the fact that, unlike in previous class-based societies, the coercion it exerts is impersonal: there is no hierarchical figure compelling us to sell our labor. It is much simpler: if we don’t enter the labor market, we don’t survive. — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 77

Categorization

• DEFINE: The defining trait of capitalist coercion versus feudal/subjective coercion.
• XREF: connects to: Capitalism’s coercion is impersonal market dependence rather than personal domination. — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism: An Intervention, 77; Capitalist economic choice was coercive, not genuinely free. — Yanis Varoufakis, Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism, 100; Domination in advanced capitalism is masked as neutral administration and objectivity — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the…, 186 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Capitalism’s coercion is impersonal market dependence rather than personal domination. #corroborates (0.95) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 77
• Capitalist economic choice was coercive, not genuinely free. #corroborates (0.80) — Yanis Varoufakis, Technofeudalism, 100
• Domination in advanced capitalism is masked as neutral administration and objectivity #expands (0.80) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 186