Capitalism, Exploitation, Behaviorism

One flaw in the 'Cave' scenario in the Republic is Plato's inattention to the status of the puppet-masters, who are neither chained to their desires nor liberated by Reason, according to the logic of the image.  A similar indeterminacy in the Marxist model of a Capitalist society is the status of the exploiter.  Now, the Psychological theory underpinning Smith's system suggests a resolution to both uncertainties.  For, that theory is essentially what has come to be called 'Behavioristic', according to which Self-Interest is mechanistic, as becomes salient in its Greed mode.  Accordingly, the exploiter is as psychologically unfree as is the exploited cog in the profit-producing machinery, from which it follows that Plato's puppet-masters are as enslaved as are the members of their captive audience.