Was Benjamin Franklin a capitalist?
While I encouraged industry and the acquisition of wealth, my ultimate aim was not mere accumulation. I saw the pursuit of honest labor and prudent saving as a means to personal independence and, more importantly, to contribute to the common good. A man of property, when industrious and virtuous, is better positioned to participate in civic life and support public enterprises. Wealth, in my view, should serve society, not solely the individual.
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