We’ve all grown up hearing this phrase in our childhood fables. I only recently connected these occupations to the origins of capitalism.
Before there was capitalism, there was feudalism. That was when all the power was vested in the church, the nobility (kings, lords, etc.) and the landed gentry (aka, land owners). But capitalisms roots were planted with the merchant class and the tradespersons. This included the butcher, baker, candlestick maker, blacksmith, tailor, etc.
With the rise of this fledgling “worker class, skilled trades, small businesses and financiers”, there coincided a decline in the aristocracy and power of the church. Rising capitalism was in conjunction with the enlightenment period and the decline of serfdom (especially in western Europe). The butcher, baker, candlestick maker and all the other tradespersons of that era created things, provided supplies in response to demands (textbook economics level 101), competed fairly and served local needs. This was a true meritocracy in the sense that the more skilled you were at your trade, the more profitable you became. This was an era when apprectiship and mentorship was the business model and skills were passed down from one generation to the next. That explains why so many persons today with western European origins have surnames that include: Baker, Smith, Taylor, etc. And let’s not forget about the candlestick maker. Today that craft is relegated to artisan folk art demonstrations but back in the medieval times before electricity, they would be comparable to today’s electricians.
The “original capitalism” was young, wholesome, innovative and dynamic. There was true innovation, growth, reward for creativity, flexibility and ingenuity. These are the characteristics that the current day capitalism claims to have but does not live up to.
With the passage of time and the agglomeration of wealth, assets and monopolies, came a “hardening of the arteries” of commerce, innovation and opportunity. Fixation on economies of scale, efficiencies of production and a growing disconnect between the boss and the worker morphed young capitalism into today’s version of an impersonal juggernaut that’s “too big to fail”. The local butcher and baker have been replaced by chain stores. Candles are mass produced in factories. Tailoring is a dying art since worn-out clothes are simply replaced by new clothes purchased at clothing store chains (or more likely purchased on-line). Skills and practical know-how passed down from one generation to the next generation during the early stages of capitalism are now rare. Nowadays, we have a mass production formula for education which imparts the basic reading-writing-arithmetic (though that’s debatable in many underfunded school districts). What we have lost is pride in performance, demand for quality, resilience and confidence that only comes from apprentices and mentorships. They were the bedrock of the early capitalist, mercantile and trade systems. In contrast, late-stage capitalism is flush with money, power and assets horded by monopolies. Today’s capitalism dampens the creativity, innovation and flexibility that used to be its “secret sauce”. Ask anybody how difficult it is to start up a business, expand a business, invent something or try a new technique or strategy and you will get a taste of capitalism in decline. Governmental and corporate arteries have hardened to the point that late-stage capitalism is cannibalizing itself. The merger of Wall Street and Main Street in this Ponzi scheme prioritizes short term profiting over long term growth. Local and micro-economies were replaced by commodification and financialization creating the perfect storm for the demise of capitalism.
Bracing for the impact of this demise, there are some alternatives that might soften the blow. It’s time to hark back to the origins of capitalism with the rise of home grown and localized businesses in keeping with the original traditions of the butcher, baker, candlestick maker (etc.) The advent of 3-D printers, Makerspace workshops, home businesses, backyard gardens, remote work/remote learning might provide an alternative. The new capitalism will require a return to micro-economies grounded in mutual assistance, food exchanges, time/task banking, cooperative housing, cooperative businesses and bartering. Maybe the butcher, baker, candlestick maker and fellow journeymen of yesteryear might finally regain the respect that they deserve.
What’s your thoughts, observations and suggestions concerning this topic?
Copyright January 10 2026 by Greg Dunn
Dunn Writes Well 