Capitalism: The Root Cause of Modern-Day Evils
Written by: Imran Shahid Bhandar
A Certain Class and the Blame on God
Today, a particular class continuously tries to portray God—especially the Islamic concept of God—as responsible for every evil, war, and bloodshed occurring in the world. This mindset is not only illogical but also extremely irresponsible. History testifies that far more bloodshed has occurred in the name of democracy, freedom, human rights, and civilization than in the name of God. The real question is: Should these values be held accountable, or the humans who acted upon them? Or the systems that produce such individuals?
Human Selfishness and Blaming God
Man rarely holds himself accountable for his own actions. Instead, he finds it easier to place the blame on God. Under the philosophy of Enlightenment, when man removed God from the center of life and replaced Him with himself, it marked the beginning of bloodshed based on man-made values.
Events of the Twentieth Century
- The two major world wars of the twentieth century were not religious, but rather liberal and secular in nature.
- The atrocities committed by the United States in the twentieth century were carried out under liberal and secular ideologies.
- Colonial oppression and massacres also stemmed from liberal and secular thought.
Root of Evils: The Capitalist System
While some continue to place blame on religion, the truth is that war, terrorism, and evils are not caused by divine commands but arise from earthly contradictions. The real culprit behind modern-day evils is the capitalist system. Its proponents are constantly seeking ways to shift the blame onto religion in order to exonerate themselves.
Capitalist System and Its Oppression
In today’s world, the foundation of oppression and brutality lies in the capitalist system, which the rationalist man continues to reinforce based on so-called intellect. In this context, the rationalist liberal human being proves to be more oppressive than God, because he uses the name of God to mask his own evils whenever convenient. As Jacques Derrida once remarked: God's only "crime" is that His name is used in wars.
Dialectical Relationship Between Capitalism and Barbarity
There exists a deep dialectical connection between the capitalist system and its metaphysical underpinnings, a relationship crafted by the rationalist man. From this relationship, various forms of oppression, terrorism, and barbarity continue to emerge.
