Abstract:
Since the beginning of history, groups of people have taken measures to get ahead at the expense of others. The Apartheid in South Africa is a recent example of this. While the Apartheid met its official end in 1994, its legacy of discrimination and restriction are still felt by the South African people. It is important to differentiate between the motives of capitalism and racial restrictions such as those imposed during the Apartheid and since its conclusion. Many people see capitalism as a system which is driven by selfish motives, and therefore results in selfish actions that harm others. While capitalism may derive its power by the human desire to better ones own condition, it allows no room for excluding others from the market, especially not based upon race or ethnicity. As part of the bigger picture, it is also important to realize that no one benefits when a group of people are prevented from being productive participants in society. South Africa has been learning these lessons for decades.
