Evolution towards Capitalism and Beyond

Here briefly are five historic precedents in terms of types of economies.  They suggest that the evolution within economies is far from over.

1. Clan-based Economies - where exchanges benefited extended families

These were precedents for what today are household exchanges (within non-markets and communal forms of organization) where labour is unpaid.

2. Hunter-gatherer Economies – where exchanges spread beyond families

Labour was then paid for in a community currency such a beads, or wampum.  These economies were the precedents for local trading systems within alternative markets and alternative capitalistic forms of organization

3. Agricultural Economies – where exchanges expanded to circulate around cities as early centres of civilization

These were precedents for non-profit state enterprises, again, within alternative markets and alternative capitalistic forms of organization where labour is paid for in 'national' coin-based currencies.

4. Manufacturing Economies – where exchanges circulate around the world via a few financial centres

These are capitalistic forms of organization where labour is increasingly paid for using electronic transfers amongst international banks.

5. Service Economies - where exchanges are increased through manipulation and control measures so as to far exceed actual public needs or demands

The manufacturing economy requires many services to solve that problems that manufacturers face. To increase sales, manufacturers require news and entertainment outlets able to attract viewers to look at their advertising plus psychologists and public relations companies to orchestrate people's buying behaviour. See the BBC's four part documentary, Century of the Self... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUYFr-uDQgg

The initial type of service was providing large loans for buying land, plus building or leasing factories. The expansion of influence of capitalism, as the means of getting things done, started in 19th century England.

The income generated through loans was ploughed into widespread speculation or gambling at stock exchanges, say in derivatives, or the future prices of currencies. By the year 2,000, widespread speculation had grown to about 1,000 times the size of the 'real economy' of labour-based markets. The Internet had become the world casino for gambling on speculative shares and 'future prices'.
By now speculation and gambling without use of labour have hopefully been exposed as relatively useless in terms of generating value for society.

The Emerging Economies

Emerging economies build on, but do not replace, prior economies.  They simply add to the complex mixture of economies that already exist.  For example, the agricultural economy once engaged most of the population of all countries.  Now in Canada, though agriculture shows no sign of going away, it only engages about 2% of the workforce. 

Emerging economies will probably rely on ever more complex forms of organization and forms of payment for services than we seen in their historic precedents.


6. Economies of coordination, for Mutual Fulfillment  –  


7. Economies of self-awareness for Conscious Evolution - Everyone knows the effects of his or her actions.


Conclusions:
Note the seven developmental stages proposed within this framework.  Say we are at stage 5.  Further stages are already occurring informally, and are becoming more apparent.  

We're not at the end of capitalism, and draw hope from understanding that we are not at the end of an evolutionary progress in terms of economies.

Thanks for input from Jim Delaney who studies various economies that exist today, with special interest in Feminist Economics.
delaney.jim@gmail.com---