A new class of merchants came to replace them and began trading with other countries. The newfound opportunity for export and import started changing the local economy and determined the prices of goods. As former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher once stated, “There is no alternative.” Those with pro-capitalist views even say that the negative consequences of this system, like pollution of the environment and shrinking of natural resources, will only make them more valuable and people will be willing to pay more for them. In the meantime, what we can do to oppose this economic system, or rather, an ideology, and start slowly chipping away at it is to scale down on consumption and shift to buying from small, local businesses. This reduces the waste that is plaguing our planet and gets rid of long-distance supply chains that pollute the environment. Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.