De‑inventing Capitalism as Political Tool

Arguing that capitalism is a recent 'invention' can be deployed as a political move to delegitimate market institutions and justify large systemic reforms (nationalization, reparative redistribution, or alternative economic orders). The claim’s rhetorical power depends less on detailed history than on its ability to make the current system seem accidental and therefore removable. — If persuasive, the de‑invention narrative shifts debates from incremental policy reforms to foundational questions of legitimacy and could materially broaden the scope of acceptable economic overhaul.