Politics, on the other hand, is the domain of states and governments, which means that political contestation may still occur under capitalism— but not in a way that challenges the economic system. For example, popular demands may include introducing a wealth tax or the bolstering of labor rights, but abolishing private wealth and wage labor is out of the question. Th e state therefore remains a neutral actor with respect to the market, and its role rests primarily in safeguarding private property and wage relations through the rule of law.

Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, loc. 101