> The fact that the economy grows every year is proof alone that companies on the whole are generating value and not just exploiting people. The economy is not a zero sum game.
This does not make any sense. The economy in the colonial Americas grew exponentially PRECISELY due to the explotation of people.
The economy in the colonial Americas grew exponentially because thousands, then hundreds of thousands, then millions of new people were arriving every year and creating value.
The shitty, exploitative things those humans also did back then were not responsible for the growth. Countries in the rest of the world were doing the same things back then but not growing as fast. Only 5% of the slaves taken from Africa were brought to North America.
For a further example, the US experienced its greatest upward climb during the industrial revolution, after slavery was abolished.
If exploitation was the only reason for the US’s success, then why would the US experience explosive growth after abolishing slavery?
This does not make any sense. The economy in the colonial Americas grew exponentially PRECISELY due to the explotation of people.