Antedating of "Capitalism" and "capitalist"

[Shapiro, Fred]

Joel,

Do we really know that the Argentine usage of "capitalism" has the modern meaning?  I had seen the 1820 citation but not posted it because I figured it was a different term, deriving perhaps from "capital" in the sense that Buenos Aires is the capital of the country rather than from financial "capital."

Fred Shapiro



________________________________________
From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Joel S. Berson [Berson at ATT.NET]
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 6:15 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Antedating of "Capitalism" and "capitalist"

America, the originator of "capitalism " -- and Argentina, the
originator of capitalism:

I.  capitalism. 1816

Headline: From the Columbian. South America;
Paper: Shamrock, published as The Shamrock;
Date: 05-18-1816; Volume: I; Issue: 34; Page: 270;
Location: New York, New York
[EAN]

Artigas has declared that he will protect the province of Santa Fe,
which, armed _en masse_, ... is preparing to unite with the other
provinces, to drive out the horde of seditious and barbarous wretches
who have been collected together at Buenos Ayres ever since the
commencement of the revolution, maintaining the destructive system of
capitalism for their private advantage.

[And a year or so later from the same unsettled area of both the
above and Stephen's 1820 citation:]

Headline: Latest from South America. New-York, June 16;
Paper: Eagle, published as The Eagle.;
Date: 07-11-1817; Volume: IV; Issue: 5; Page: [1];
Location: Maysville, Kentucky
[EAN]

General Carrera had used great exertions to put down
_capitalism_---in the arrogant pretensions of B. A. individuals, and
to promote the general good.

[So there!  :-) ]

II. capitalist 1781 (OED2 1792-)

Headline: A Memorial to Their High Mightinesses, the States General
of the United Provinces of the Low-Countries;
Paper: Massachusetts Spy, published as The Massachusetts Spy: Or,
American Oracle of Liberty;
Date: 10-11-1781; Volume: XI; Issue: 544; Page: [1] col. 2;
Location: Worcester, Massachusetts
[The Spy was (generally) Isaiah Thomas's paper.]

It may not however be amiss to hint that the central situation of
this country [not England; see the headline], her extensive
navigation, her possessions in the East and West-Indies, the
intelligence of her merchants, the number of her capitalists, and the
riches of her funds, render a connection with her very desirable to America.

Joel

At 10/30/2007 09:12 AM, you wrote:
>Quoting "Shapiro, Fred" <Fred.Shapiro at YALE.EDU>:
>
>>capitalism (OED 1854)
>>
>>1848 _Caledonian Mercury_ 25 Sept. (19th Century British Library
>>Newspapers)  Lord George Bentinck ... gathered them once more
>>together to resist once more that sweeping tide of capitalism and
>>money-loving which threatens our country with the horrors of a
>>plutocracy.
>
>
>PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE
>Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), July 31, 1820; Issue 15431
>Category:News
>[19th Century British Library Newspapers]
>London, July 28
>...
>Extract of a letter from Buenos Ayres, dated 8th May.
>Our political affairs have not yet settled into tranquility and order; the
>spirit of capitalism still exerts itself for regaining the ground which it has
>lost, and is assisted by the remains of Pueyrredon's adherents.
>
>SG
>
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