Ubepari, katika muktadha wa kitabu hiki, unarejelea mfumo unaosimamia mambo ya kiuchumi na kifedha ya jamii kwa msingi wa nadharia za ubepari. Hivyo, inapaswa kueleweka mara moja kwamba kushindwa kwa ubepari hakumaanishi kwa lazima kushindwa na kuanguka kwa jamii au dola inayopitisha ubepari kama mfumo wa kiuchumi. Jamii na dola zinaweza kupitisha mifumo mingine na kujizoesha na mazingira mapya bila ubepari. Hata hivyo, kushindwa kwa mfumo wa kiuchumi kutakuwa na athari kubwa juu ya uwezo wa dola na jamii wa kutekeleza kazi zao za kawaida na kukidhi mahitaji ya jamii na watu binafsi, hadi pale mfumo mpya utakapoundwa na kuimarishwa.

Capitalism, in the context of this book, refers to the system which is responsible for organizing the economic and financial affairs of a society on the basis of theories of capitalism. As such, it should be immediately noted that the failure of capitalism does not necessarily mean the failure and collapse of the society or state which adopts capitalism as an economic system. Societies and states can adopt other systems and can adapt to a new environment without capitalism. However, the failure of the economic system will have a great impact on the ability of the state and the society to carry their normal functions and to satisfy the needs of the society and the individuals until a new system is created and stabilized.

Jambo jingine kabla hatujaendelea ni kwamba ubepari una maana tofauti kwa watu tofauti. Tafsiri na sifa mbalimbali za ubepari zinapatikana katika vitabu na marejeo mengi. Ufafanuzi unaokubalika zaidi wa ubepari ni "mfumo wa kiuchumi unaotegemea umiliki binafsi." Kamusi ya Merriam-Webster inaufafanua kama "mfumo wa kiuchumi unaojulikana kwa umiliki binafsi au wa kampuni wa mali za uzalishaji, kwa uwekezaji unaoamuliwa na maamuzi binafsi, na kwa bei, uzalishaji na usambazaji wa bidhaa unaoamuliwa hasa na ushindani katika soko huria." Kwa maana pana zaidi, ubepari kwa kawaida hurejelea mfumo ambao njia za uzalishaji zinadhibitiwa kibinafsi; kazi, bidhaa na mtaji vinauzwa na kununuliwa sokoni; faida hugawanywa kwa wamiliki au kuwekezwa tena na wawekezaji; na mishahara hulipwa kwa wafanyakazi. Wafuasi na watetezi wa ubepari katika muktadha huu ni pamoja na Adam Smith, Francis Bacon, David Hume, David Ricardo, Max Weber, John Maynard Keynes, Milton Friedman, na wengine wengi. Wapinzani na wakosoaji wa ubepari ni pamoja na Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, na wengine wengi.

Another issue to note before we proceed is that capitalism means different things to different people. Various definitions and characterization of capitalism can be found in numerous books and references. The most widely accepted definition of capitalism is an “economic system based on private ownership.” It is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.” In the more general sense, capitalism typically refers to a system in which the means of production are privately controlled; labor, goods, and capital are traded in a market; profits are distributed to owners or reinvested by the investors; and wages are paid to labor. Proponents and advocates of capitalism in this capacity include Adam Smith, Francis Bacon, David Hume, David Ricardo, Max Weber, John Maynard Keynes, Milton Friedman, and many others. Opponents and critiques of capitalism include Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, and many others.

Karl Marx aliamini kwamba ubepari ulikuwa umepangwa kuinuka kama mojawapo ya hatua za mageuzi ya jamii, kulingana na "uhakika wa kihistoria wa nyenzo" (historical materialism inevitability)32. Kwa kutumia nadharia hiyo hiyo, Marx pia aliamini kwamba ubepari hatimaye utaoza na kutoweka, ukiacha nafasi kwa kuinuka kwa ujamaa na ukomunisti. Nadharia hii ilifikia mwisho kabla ya mwisho wa karne ya ishirini, ujamaa ulipoporomoka katika Umoja wa Kisovieti. Akitegemea nadharia ya Marx mwenyewe ya maendeleo ya jamii, Francis Fukayama alihitimisha kwamba hatua ya mwisho ya mageuzi ya kiitikadi ya binadamu ilikuwa demokrasia huria (ikiwa ni pamoja na ubepari), badala ya ukomunisti33. Hata hivyo, mwisho huu wa mwisho ulioonwa na Fukayama ulionekana kuwa wa muda tu na dhaifu, masoko yalipoanza kuanguka, benki zikaanza kufilisika, na "mtazamo fulani wa ubepari umeporomoka," kwa maneno ya Fukayama mwenyewe katika makala yake "The Fall of America, Inc.".

Karl Marx believed that capitalism was destined to rise as one of the evolutionary cycles of a society as dictated by “historical materialism inevitability”32. Using the same theory, Marx also believed that capitalism will eventually decay and vanish, leaving the way for the rise of socialism and communism. This theory was put to an end before the end of the twentieth century when socialism collapsed in the Soviet Union. Relying on Marx’s own theory of the development of societies, Francis Fukayama concluded that the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution was liberal democracy (including capitalism) rather than communism33. However, this final end as detected by Fukayama turned out to be only a soft and temporary one when the markets began to collapse and banks began to fail and “a certain vision of capitalism has collapsed,” using Fukayama’s own words in his article “The Fall of America, Inc.” .

Mawazo ya Adam Smith kuhusu "mfumo wa uhuru wa asili" katika *The Wealth of Nations* (1776) mara nyingi huchukuliwa kuwa mwanzo wa uchumi wa kisiasa wa kibepari wa kitambo. Smith alibuni seti ya dhana ambazo bado zinahusishwa sana na ubepari hadi leo. Anasema kwamba kufuatilia maslahi binafsi ya mtu mmoja mmoja kunazalisha, bila kukusudia, manufaa ya pamoja kwa jamii. Akiunga mkono biashara huru, Smith alikosoa ukiritimba, ushuru, tozo, na vizuizi vingine vilivyowekwa na serikali, na aliamini kwamba soko ndilo mpatanishi wa haki na mwenye ufanisi zaidi wa rasilimali. David Ricardo, katika *The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation* (1817), alishiriki maoni ya Smith na kuendeleza zaidi nadharia za ubepari.

Adam Smith’s reasoning for “the system of natural liberty” in The Wealth of Nations (1776) is usually taken as the beginning of classical political capitalist economy. Smith devised a set of concepts that remain strongly associated with capitalism today. He argues that the pursuit of individual self-interest unintentionally produces a collective good for society. In support of free enterprise, Smith criticized monopolies, tariffs, duties, and other state-enforced restrictions and believed that the market is the most fair and efficient arbitrator of resources. David Ricardo, in “The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation” (1817), shared Smith’s views and further developed the theories of capitalism.

Kuibuka kwa nadharia za ubepari katikati ya karne ya kumi na nane kulisadifiana na, na kwa namna fulani kulitanguliwa na, matukio mengine mawili: "kutenganishwa kwa kanisa na serikali" na "enzi ya Mwangaza." Mawazo yaliyotokana na matukio haya yalikuwa na athari kubwa katika maendeleo ya ubepari kama njia ya kupanga miamala ya kifedha na kiuchumi katika jamii. Kwa kweli, inaweza kusemwa kwamba ubepari umeibuka kama mojawapo ya matokeo ya asili ya kutenganishwa kwa kanisa na serikali. Kutengana kati ya kanisa na serikali kunaamuru kwamba mwanadamu awe huru kutoka kwa mafundisho ya kidini yaliyo nje ya wigo wa kanisa. Uhuru huu unajidhihirisha katika maeneo manne makuu, yaani, uhuru wa kujieleza, uhuru wa umiliki, uhuru wa kuabudu, na uhuru binafsi. Uhuru wa kujieleza, ukishatumiwa na kuendelezwa kikamilifu, hufafanua mfumo wa kisiasa wa jamii na huongoza kwa aina mbalimbali za demokrasia. Uhuru wa umiliki, ukishatumiwa na kuendelezwa kikamilifu, hufafanua mfumo wa kiuchumi wa jamii na huongoza kwa aina mbalimbali za ubepari. Aina nyingine mbili za uhuru hufafanua na kuunda tabia za kibinafsi katika jamii, na kuzaa aina mbalimbali za dini, desturi, mila, maadili, kanuni za maadili, na mwonekano wa kimwili; zikishatumiwa na kuendelezwa kikamilifu, hufafanua umbo la mfumo wa kijamii. Mfumo wa kisiasa wa demokrasia, mfumo wa kiuchumi wa ubepari, na mfumo wa kijamii wa ubinafsi, pamoja na wazo la kutenganishwa kwa kanisa na serikali, huunda muundo wa itikadi kamili na pana.

The rise of the theories of capitalism in the mid-eighteenth century coincided and in some ways was preceded by other phenomena, namely, “the separation of church and state” and the “era of Enlightenment.” Ideas derived from these phenomena had a great impact on the development of capitalism as a means of organizing the financial and economic transaction in the society. In fact, it can be argued that capitalism has emerged as one of the natural consequences of the separation of church and state. The separation between church and state dictates that man becomes free from the religious doctrines outside the scope of the church. This freedom manifests itself in four major areas, namely, the freedom of speech, the freedom of ownership, the freedom of worship, and the personal freedom. The freedom of speech, once fully utilized and developed, defines the political system of a society and leads to various forms of democracies. The freedom of ownership, once fully utilized and developed, defines the economic system of a society and leads to various forms of capitalism. The other two forms of freedom define and shape the individual characters in the society giving rise to various forms of religion, customs, traditions, morals, ethics, and physical outlook; once fully utilized and developed, they define the shape of the social system. The political system of democracy, the economic system of capitalism, and the social system of individualism, together with the idea of the separation of the church and state, forms the structure of a complete and comprehensive ideology.

Itikadi hii inatajwa kwa kubadilishana kama itikadi ya Demokrasia au ubepari (capitalism). Majina yote mawili yanarejelea muundo mmoja. Wafuasi wa itikadi hii hutumia jina "Demokrasia" pale wanapotaka kusisitiza upande wa uhuru wa kisiasa wa itikadi hiyo. Katika kujaribu kuhalalisha vita na uvamizi wa hivi karibuni nchini Iraq na Afghanistan, wanasiasa wa Marekani walisisitiza haja ya kusafirisha "Demokrasia" kwenda mataifa haya. Bila shaka, pamoja na demokrasia huja ubepari na ubinafsi wa kijamii. Katika kujaribu kuelewa mgogoro wa sasa wa kifedha na athari zake kwa jamii, wanauchumi na wanasiasa walitumia jina "ubepari." Hoja ni kwamba "Demokrasia" na "ubepari" vinarejelea muundo mmoja wa kiitikadi.

This ideology is interchangeably referred to as the ideology of Democracy or capitalism. Both refer to the same structure. The proponents of the ideology use the name “Democracy” when they want to emphasize the political freedom aspect of the ideology. In trying to justify the recent wars and invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, US politicians emphasized the need to export “Democracy” to these nations. Of course, along with democracy go capitalism and the social individualism. In trying to understand the current financial crisis and their impact on the society, the economists and politicians used the name “capitalism.” The point is that “Democracy” and “capitalism” refer to the same ideological structure.

Itikadi hii awali iliibuka wakati wafalme na watawala wa Ulaya na Urusi walipokuwa wakitumia dini kama njia ya kuwanyonya watu na kuwadhulumu. Walitumia makasisi kama chombo cha unyonyaji huu. Jambo hili lilisababisha baadhi ya wanafalsafa na wanafikra kukataa dini kabisa. Wengine walikubali dini lakini wakataka itenganishwe na masuala ya maisha ya kila siku ya watu. Hatimaye, maoni ya wengi wa wanafalsafa na wanafikra yalikubaliana juu ya wazo moja, nalo ni kutenganisha dini na maisha pamoja na dola. Hilo lilikuwa suluhisho la maelewano kati ya makasisi waliotaka kudhibiti kila kitu kwa jina la dini, na wanafalsafa na wanafikra waliokataa dini pamoja na mamlaka ya makasisi. Kwa hiyo, fundisho kuu linalosimamia itikadi ya ubepari/demokrasia ni kutenganisha dini na maisha. Katika barua yake kwa Wabaptisti wa Danbury mwaka 1802, Thomas Jefferson aliandika kwamba katiba ya Marekani inapaswa kujenga ukuta wa kutenganisha kanisa na dola.

This ideology originally emerged when the emperors and kings of Europe and Russia were using religion as a means to exploit the peoples and transgress against them. They used the clergy as an instrument for this exploitation. This led some philosophers and thinkers to deny religion completely. Others acknowledged religion but called for its separation from the people’s daily life affairs. Eventually, the opinion of the majority of the philosophers and thinkers settled on one idea, which is the separation of religion from life and state. That was a compromise solution between the clergy who sought to control everything in the name of religion and the philosophers and thinkers, who denied religion and the authority of the clergy. Consequently, the main doctrine, which underlines the ideology of capitalism/democracy, is the separation of religion from life. In a letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote that the American constitution should build a wall of separation between church and state36.

Kuelewa athari za kutenganishwa kwa kanisa (dini) na serikali na mambo ya maisha kutakuwa muhimu sana tunapojadili migogoro ya kimaadili na kiadili inayosimama nyuma ya mgogoro wa sasa wa kifedha. Hili linasaidia kuelewa mandhari ya hitimisho kama lile alilolitoa Milton Friedman: "Maslahi pekee ya wanahisa ni kuongeza faida"; "Ahadi yoyote ya kutekeleza wajibu wa kijamii isipokuwa kutengeneza pesa ni kodi isiyo halali, au hata wizi"37. Historia ya maendeleo ya ubepari, kama mfumo uliozaliwa kutokana na kutenganishwa kwa kanisa na serikali, pia humwezesha mtu kuelewa nguvu zinazoendesha ubepari katika jamii ambazo Ukristo haukuwa dini kuu.

Understanding the effect of the separation of church (religion) from state and the life affairs will be quite necessary when discussing the moral and ethic crises which stand behind the current financial crisis. It helps understanding the background for conclusions such as the one made by Milton Friedman: “The only common interests shareholders have is to maximize profits”; “Any commitment to fulfilling social responsibilities other than making money is an illegitimate tax, or even theft”37. The historic development of capitalism, as one that emerged from the separation of church and state, also allows one to understand the dynamics of capitalism in societies where Christianity was not the dominant religion.