Introduction: What Are the “Extra Steps” in Capitalism?
The idea that “capitalism is slavery with extra steps” can seem provocative at first, but it’s rooted in a critique of how labor has been exploited through different systems over time. This analogy draws attention to how each system, from chattel slavery to feudalism, and finally to capitalism, has found ways to extract value from human labor—just with different mechanisms. This breakdown will explore those steps and why the argument exists that capitalism, despite offering the illusion of freedom, still fundamentally exploits labor in ways that echo past forms of servitude.

1. Chattel Slavery: Direct Ownership of Labor
Chattel slavery is the most straightforward and brutal form of labor exploitation, where a person is owned outright. In this system, the enslaved person’s labor is completely controlled by the owner, and all the wealth produced by the enslaved person’s labor is kept by the owner. The enslaved person has no rights, no freedom, and no ownership over the fruits of their labor.

The Goal: Extract as much value as possible from the enslaved person without compensation, building wealth directly from their labor.

2. Feudalism: Ownership of the Land
Feudalism evolved from slavery but still relied on exploiting labor. Under feudalism, the lords didn’t own the people directly but owned the land on which they worked. The serfs or peasants could live on the land and farm it but had to give a portion of their labor or produce to the lord in return for protection and the right to stay on the land.

The Extra Step: While the lord didn’t own the serf, they still controlled the land, forcing the serf to give up part of the value they created simply for the right to exist on the lord’s property.

3. Capitalism: Ownership of the Means of Production
Capitalism, the system that emerged after feudalism, introduced the ownership of the means of production—tools, machinery, and infrastructure—as the key to controlling labor. Workers do not have direct access to the means of production, such as factories or machines, so they must sell their labor to those who own them. The capitalist pays the worker a wage, but the wage is always less than the value the worker produces, with the capitalist keeping the surplus as profit.

The Extra Step: The capitalist owns the tools or machines the worker needs to perform their labor, not the worker or the land. By owning the means of production, the capitalist extracts value from the worker’s labor while paying them only a fraction of the wealth they create.

4. The Illusion of Freedom and Choice
Under capitalism, there is an illusion of choice. Workers are told that if they don’t like the wages offered by one employer, they can go work somewhere else or start their own business. While this is technically true, the reality is much more complicated. As technology has advanced, the tools needed for production—factories, large-scale machinery, advanced software—are often too expensive or complex for individual workers to own themselves. This forces most people to sell their labor to those who control the means of production.

Moreover, in a system where social safety nets are gutted, the choice for many workers is between accepting a low wage or facing poverty, homelessness, or starvation. The “freedom” to choose between bad options doesn’t feel like freedom at all.

5. The Future of Capitalism: Automation and Labor Displacement
As technology continues to advance, we are approaching a point where machines can perform many jobs that once required human labor. This raises an important question: if machines owned by a small group of capitalists can do most of the work, what happens to the rest of the population who no longer have jobs? Under capitalism, wealth and power remain concentrated in the hands of those who own the means of production, leaving the masses with fewer ways to earn a living.

6. Socialism as an Alternative:
Socialism argues that the means of production should be collectively owned by society rather than a few individuals. The idea is that no one person can claim the fruits of labor or the technological advancements that are the result of centuries of collective human effort. By distributing the ownership of the means of production, socialism aims to ensure that wealth and resources are shared more equitably, allowing people to benefit from technological advancements rather than being displaced by them.

Conclusion: Capitalism as Slavery with Extra Steps?
While capitalism differs significantly from chattel slavery or feudalism in its outward form, critics argue that it still exploits labor through the ownership of the means of production. Workers are free in theory, but in practice, they are bound by their dependence on capitalists for access to the tools and resources they need to survive. The “extra steps” are the layers of ownership and control that have evolved over time—from owning people, to owning land, to owning machines—but the goal remains the same: to extract as much value as possible from human labor.