6 of Pentacles: Capitalism?

athenarebels

I'm specifically thinking of the Rider 6 of Pentacles, but other decks follow similar theme.

Does anybody else read the Six of Pentacles as the relationship between worker and owner in a laissez-faire system? I think the kicker is that that man is described as being "in the guise of" a merchant.

Just as the pure capitalist is removed from the actual workings of his business and becomes a bean counter serving the bottom line, this so-called merchant is no longer what he seems. Instead he stands above and divvies up the smallest amount he can get away with paying his laborers.

**Apologies if this should go in Talking Tarot!
 

Thirteen

Financial and spiritual balance

You're in the right forum!
Just as the pure capitalist is removed from the actual workings of his business and becomes a bean counter serving the bottom line, this so-called merchant is no longer what he seems. Instead he stands above and divvies up the smallest amount he can get away with paying his laborers.
Well, first off, our merchant isn't paying a laborer. He's giving money to a beggar. That's an important difference, as it this beggar didn't earn anything for the merchant. This is philanthropy. Second, we have to avoid a certain economic bias when we look at any of the Pents. Yes, there have been tribes where everything was shared equally (socialist), and there have been socialist theorists before Marx. But let's face it, if we look at the most ancient civilizations (one with records of how things were done), like Ancient Egypt what do we see? A capitalist system. Oligarchies have been the name for thousands of years and 99% of the time, those in charge also own 99% of the material wealth.

That said, there is a modern misunderstanding of Feudal thought. Farmers farming the land didn't think "that noble does nothing and takes all the food I labor to bring out the ground." The Farmer thought, "I am a farmer and this is what I do. I provide the noble with food so he can do what he does" (manage the kingdom and protect the farmers). So, what we see in the 6/Pents is not Capitalism vs. Communism. It's (1) "the norm" for most of the world for most of human history (certainly the Medieval norm pictured in the RWS card), and (2) It's actually about *BALANCING* out an economic imbalance.

The Merchant isn't doling out a tiny bit to a laborer who did all the work. The Merchant is *realizing* that he has more than enough--way more than he should. He is giving away some of that to someone who has nothing and thus making them not so unequal. It's not communism, I grant you. But it is "To each according to his needs." The beggar needs that pocket money, the Merchant does not, and so he gives it to the beggar.

The Merchant, in giving to that beggar, balances out his soul. Charity is a blessing, and many religions require members of the faith engage in it as much as they require members of the faith pray, etc. It's a spiritual requirement. In lightening his pocket, the Merchant learns the spiritual joy of sharing, and helping, and doing more than just earning money. The beggar, in turn, not only gains the money he need to live, but learns that sometimes we all need some charity. And there's nothing to be ashamed of in letting yourself be helped.

That's what the card is all about--and it while it can be taken literally, it usually isn't that literal. So seeing it only as an event created by a capitalist economy (in a socialist economy there'd be no beggars, the state would take care of them), misses, I think, the point. We all need to be charitable in our lives sometimes and share out "wealth" whatever that is. And we all need to accept charity in our lives sometimes, and allow others to share their wealth with us.
 

rwcarter

I'm going to disagree with Thirteen for once.

She describes the history/intent of the card very well. But a lot of people use tarot to address mundane situations of today. What Thirteen described is an interaction between the Haves and the Have Nots. Once such interaction today would be between the 1% and the 99%. So, yes, I could see the card representing a situation where a worker is being paid for their labor. In today's terms, the scale could be an invoice or a time card to make sure the worker isn't paid more than they should be.

I wouldn't always jump to that interpretation, but I think it can be extrapolated from the image in the card.

Rodney
 

Thirteen

I'm going to disagree...I think it can be extrapolated from the image in the card
Heh. I'm going to have to disagree that you can extrapolate that from the image. The two people are on the knees. Even in ancient days, it was rare for laborers to receive their wages on their knees. If our Merchant was behind a table, with a scale weighting out money to give each man...then I'd totally agree that from the image we could extrapolate being given a wage.

Mind, I do agree that this card, depending on the topic of the reading and its position in a spread, *could* mean the receiving of a wage. Just as it can mean receiving a legacy or inheritance. But the main question here was whether we could see the evil of a capitalist system in this card. I don't think we can if it's *upright* as our Merchant, though not a socialist by any stretch, seems to be handing out that money unstintingly--he's not grimacing with reluctance as he puts a single coin in the kneeling man's hand ;) The coins are falling freely and, yes, generously, and he holds scales, which are symbolic of desiring balance. This card would have to be ill-dignified for me to read it as indicating obscene unearned wealth reluctantly doling out tiny amounts to those who really worked for it and deserve it. The upright card, IMHO, does indicate an understanding of fairness, a desire to restore some of the balance between haves and have-nots.
 

ihcoyc

The six of coins/pentacles brings 'six-ness' to the suit of Coins. They relate to the Lover, the sephirah Tiphereth and the planet Venus, and as a result relate to the aesthetic, peacemaking, and sensuous sides of the suit in question. Sixes also tend to show a path forward.

The RWS image handles this well. The rich man bestowing alms is performing a beautiful act and knows it. His clients are pleased that he has chosen to bestow some of his wealth on them. He is also working as an agent of social peace by reducing, to a minor extent, the obviously glaring inequalities of his society.

To the extent that some kind of social or political message is in the card, I don't see the Six of Pentacles as capitalism. Capitalism wouid appear to me to be more of an 8s business, especially the 8 of Coins and the 8 of Batons.
 

More

As someone who actually lived in comunism I see your description as well...comunism : someone from the governing elite giving his extra belongings for free to someone from the "equals". Common instrument for maintaining the image of the man in power - a symbol that they are willing to be as equal.
By the way I've seen 6 of pents signifying corruption. Fits both capitalism and comunism.
 

Streamfinder

Thirteen is right on the money.

There is one Element that confirms the harmony of the situation: nobody seems pained to be there. The expressions on their faces are quite satisfactory.