Capitalism and communism of various hues have been around since Biblical times, and before then in cultures about which my knowledge is poor. Usually, they co-existed – some individuals being capitalists, often in partnerships or other business entities, while others formed communistic groups (e.g., the early Christians). Both capitalistic enterprises and communes tend to collapse in time, and new ones arise. Religious communes tend to last longer than secular ones.
Those who think in millenarian terms are wont to believe in a non-recoverable collapse, which rarely happens. Millenarianism is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming major transformation of society, after which all things will be changed.
