Autonomous Individuality v. Rugged Individualism

Capitalism is internally contradictory. In one breath it promotes rugged individualism, where the “self-made man” is said to have raised himself by his own bootstraps, while at the same time creates a dependency of workers who are forced to survive on the often meager wages paid to them by employers. If you fail to find someone to hire you then you are likely to find yourself out on the street. One of the stipulations forced on the worker by the employer is to give up his or her individuality and to conform to the mainstream in the hopes of being employed. We see this in the corporate dress codes (written and unwritten) along with the corporate disdain for tattoos.

The capitalist class is free of this burden. The financial freedom that comes with being a capitalist is why some of the rich are known as being “eccentric” for their wealth allows them to exhibit their own individuality. They can show their individuality because they can afford to.

In an economic democracy it would be different. According to Nicholas Capaldi in his book John Stuart Mill: A Biography the reasons Mill supported cooperatives, “were to promote autonomy, to promote the cooperation that flows from autonomy, and to turn workers into entrepreneurs.” Mill also understood that the worker cooperative would end the class system of capitalist and worker and would eliminate the wage system. In an economic democracy people would have the dignity of being able to stand on their own without stepping on someone else and therefore the freedom to express one’s own individuality without fear.