--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main argument is that capitalism is…" description: "\"The main argument is that capitalism is constituted by a varied of different practices, and so challenging capitalism needs to be about a variety of st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cynthia-kauffman-28352_arguing_the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is_3010850.jpg" --- # The main argument is that capitalism is constituted by a… ![“The main argument is that capitalism is constituted by a varied of different practices, and so challenging capitalism needs to be about a variety of struggles. I draw on the important work of J.K. Gibson-Graham, who argues that we should model anti-capitalist struggle on feminist struggles.” quote by Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cynthia-kauffman-28352_arguing_the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is_3010850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cynthia-kauffman-28352_arguing_the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is_3010850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cynthia-kauffman-28352_arguing_the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is_3010850.jpg) > “The main argument is that capitalism is constituted by a varied of different practices, and so challenging capitalism needs to be about a variety of struggles. I draw on the important work of J.K. Gibson-Graham, who argues that we should model anti-capitalist struggle on feminist struggles.” [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Capitalism’s diversity requires varied, feminist‑inspired struggles to challenge it effectively. **In simple terms:** Capitalism needs many tactics. Key Takeaway Support intersecting anti‑capitalist movements. Themes Economics feminism social movements intersectionality Mood analytical hopeful Type theoretical activist When to use this quote - Labor organizing - community cooperatives - environmental activism - gender equity initiatives Key Concepts Critical theory political economy Questions to Reflect On - Which feminist tactics best address capitalism? - How can diverse struggles unite? A Different Perspective Some argue single‑issue focus can be more effective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-capitalism-3618939/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Capitalism Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism-needs-593263/) [Capitalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist/) [Capitalist Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalist-struggle-4827454/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Challenging Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenging-capitalism-4827453/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-work/) [Models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/models/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) ## Related quotes > [“George Bernard Shaw once said: “Capitalism has destroyed our belief in any effective power but that of self interest backed by force.” When liberals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/george-bernard-shaw-once-said-capitalism-has-destroyed-our-belief-in/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“Commerce is considered by classical economists to be a positive-sum game. The act of selling and buying always benefits both the seller and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/commerce-is-considered-by-classical-economists-to-be-a-positive-sum/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Capitalism needs neither propaganda nor apostles. Its achievements speak for themselves. Capitalism delivers the goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/capitalism-needs-neither-propaganda-nor-apostles-its-achievements/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Capitalism needs to function like a game of tug-of-war. Two opposing sides need to continually struggle for dominance, but at no time can either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holiday/capitalism-needs-to-function-like-a-game-of-tug-of-war-two-opposing/) [Pete Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holiday/) > [“What kind of men, then, does our society need? What is the "social character" suited to twentieth century Capitalism? It needs men who co-operate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/what-kind-of-men-then-does-our-society-need-what-is-the-social/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Modern capitalism needs men who co-operate smoothly, and in large numbers; who want to consume more and more; and whose tastes are standardized and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-capitalism-needs-men-who-co-operate-smoothly-and-in-large/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Modern capitalism needs men who cooperate smoothly and in large numbers; who want to consume more and more; and whose tastes are standardized and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-capitalism-needs-men-who-cooperate-smoothly-and-in-large-2/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Modern capitalism needs men who cooperate smoothly and in large numbers; who want to consume more and more; and whose tastes are standardized and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-capitalism-needs-men-who-cooperate-smoothly-and-in-large/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [We, the Social Democrats, are convinced that capitalism needs to be tamed a second time. The first time we achieved that in Germany for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmar-gabriel/we-the-social-democrats-are-convinced-that-capitalism-needs-to-be/) [Sigmar Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmar-gabriel/) > [The whole system of government needs remodeling & the failing system of capitalism needs replacing, reformation will fix neither & you know it. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deri-isaac/the-whole-system-of-government-needs-remodeling-the-failing-system-of/) [Deri Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deri-isaac/) > [Capitalism needs and must have the prison to protect itself from the criminals it has created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/capitalism-needs-and-must-have-the-prison-to-protect-itself-from-the/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The way we get past capitalism is by building on the healthy non-capitalist aspects of our world while we also do pitched battle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/the-way-we-get-past-capitalism-is-by-building-on-the-healthy-non/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [We are surrounded every day by people who do thankless but important work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kilmeade/we-are-surrounded-every-day-by-people-who-do-thankless-but-important/) [Brian Kilmeade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kilmeade/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [If I had learned how to get along in the quotidian world while keeping up the search for the hidden realm, I might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/if-i-had-learned-how-to-get-along-in-the-quotidian-world-while/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) ## More by Cynthia Kauffman > [The way we get past capitalism is by building on the healthy non-capitalist aspects of our world while we also do pitched battle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/the-way-we-get-past-capitalism-is-by-building-on-the-healthy-non/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [I think there is a legitimate critique of reformism, as a politics that is content with making small changes in society without asking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/i-think-there-is-a-legitimate-critique-of-reformism-as-a-politics/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [States can be more or less democratic, and so can socialism. I think any ideal society that exists on a large scale, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/states-can-be-more-or-less-democratic-and-so-can-socialism-i-think/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [I tend to not use the word "socialist," because even though more young adults in the United States in a poll say they support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/i-tend-to-not-use-the-word-socialist-because-even-though-more-young/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [We need to hold in our hearts the possibility of a better world, not because we have candy-coated the problems or lied about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/we-need-to-hold-in-our-hearts-the-possibility-of-a-better-world-not/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [Anarchism as the name for an ideal total social form is a really complicated question. I have never found satisfying answers from anarchists about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/anarchism-as-the-name-for-an-ideal-total-social-form-is-a-really/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [We see ourselves as inhabiting a complex social world that has some capitalist things going on in it as well as some socialist ones,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/we-see-ourselves-as-inhabiting-a-complex-social-world-that-has-some/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [Things like water and sewage systems require states in a large-scale society, but states are also a good mechanism for dealing with health care,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/things-like-water-and-sewage-systems-require-states-in-a-large-scale/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [The terms socialist and communist are mostly about describing the world we want after capitalism, and I think they are both important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/the-terms-socialist-and-communist-are-mostly-about-describing-the/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [In Marxism there are some very unhelpful ideas about the need to push for a revolution that will overturn all of society. Marx gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/in-marxism-there-are-some-very-unhelpful-ideas-about-the-need-to-push/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [Yes it is true that pro-capitalist forces have a lot of power. But so did slave-holding racists. We give ourselves hope when we conceptualize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/yes-it-is-true-that-pro-capitalist-forces-have-a-lot-of-power-but-so/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [I often refer to myself as a radical, reminding people that the word radical comes from the Latin word radix, meaning root. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/i-often-refer-to-myself-as-a-radical-reminding-people-that-the-word/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [One of the problems with traditional anti-capitalist thought is that it defines capitalism as a totality, which encourages us to imagine another totality, socialism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/one-of-the-problems-with-traditional-anti-capitalist-thought-is-that/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [There is a cultural norm on the left of being afraid to declare victory, which is related to the binary of reform/revolution. Whereas reformists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/there-is-a-cultural-norm-on-the-left-of-being-afraid-to-declare/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) > [Communism then defines a society in which there are communal forms for dealing with resources. Many communal forms exist where there are not communist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/communism-then-defines-a-society-in-which-there-are-communal-forms/) [Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) [Explore all 19 Cynthia Kauffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The main argument is that capitalism is constituted by a varied of different practices, and so challenging capitalism needs to be about a variety of struggles. I draw on the important work of J.K. Gibson-Graham, who argues that we should model anti-capitalist struggle on feminist struggles.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cynthia Kauffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is-constituted-by-a-varied-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is-constituted-by-a-varied-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cynthia-kauffman-28352_arguing_the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is_3010850.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cynthia-kauffman-28352_arguing_the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is_3010850.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cynthia-kauffman-28352_arguing_the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is_3010850.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The main argument is that capitalism is constituted by a varied of different practices, and so challenging…” — Cynthia Kauffman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cynthia Kauffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The main argument is that capitalism...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is-constituted-by-a-varied-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/the-main-argument-is-that-capitalism-is-constituted-by-a-varied-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```