Capitalism's Human Cost: Excess Deaths and Systemic Violence

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Jul 31, 2025 · 10m

The article, "Excess Deaths Attributable to Capitalism," from the Philosophics blog, asserts that capitalism is responsible for millions of preventable deaths annually, framing these not as accidents but as systemic outcomes of profit maximisation. It argues that poverty and hunger, healthcare inequality, environmental destruction and climate change, and war and imperialism are all direct consequences of capitalist structures, leading to a significant human toll. The author employs the concept of "social murder" to highlight how capitalism prioritises wealth accumulation over human life…