Huh. Coupon use proves capitalism works? Yes, says @Jane_Black; @_RajPatel holds it in check
Surprised by this quick post from @Jane_Black equating a coupon for produce with a validation of capitalism:
Capitalism has been somewhat discredited lately…But as Connecticut-based nonprofit Wholesome Wave proves, basic capitalist incentives can still be a force for good. In a survey released today, Wholesome Wave showed that offering incentives to buy fruits and vegetables helps low-income families eat better and farmers in need.
(Check the comments section for a concise rebuttal from Black’s colleague, Raj Patel.)
Let’s be honest here: Capitalism has one goal. It is profit. All the other things we associate with it—efficiency and choice, but also democracy—are side projects, employed as needed in service of that goal. This is not a disparagement, but a statement of fact. Capitalism, particularly its contemporary expression, concentrates resources in the hands of the few, placing the needs and desires of large profit above those of the rest of us. And it is that concentration that defines capitalism—not families making decisions about groceries based on their budgets, and certainly not the presence of money in and of itself.
Programs like Wholesome Wave and Double Up Food Bucks—which offer matching funds to food stamp clients to purchase farm fresh fruits and vegetables—are no more an expression of capitalist values than a minimum wage. Redistributing resources (albeit, in this case, through a philanthropic institution rather than government) to improve the standing of our poorest families is in fact a repudiation of capitalism, not an endorsement.
There are a lot of things that capitalism has done well, but making sure that most Americans can eat well is not one of them.
