Capitalism and Good People

Negative: It is possible to be a good person in a capitalist society, and there are many suggestions in Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan that support this statement.

The first piece of evidence is surprisingly obvious and can be seen in the first couple of chapters; she is the first and only person to allow house room to the gods. The story opens up to us learning that she is inherently good. Though she had other plans that night that would have given her money and were necessary for her survival, she decided to allow the gods houseroom with barely a hint of regret towards her decision.

Shen Teh is a person of obvious morality. She helps those in need, she makes exceptions for those that are poor, and does what she can to help others before worrying about herself. Her main purpose after obtaining the tobacco shop and money from the Gods is to see if she can be truly a person that lives up to the expectations that the gods set down. She not only begins off on the right foot, taking pity on those who cannot feed themselves, but decides that helping others is more important than the business she owns right now.

Even when Shen Teh decides that an alter ego is necessary, she does it so that she herself can remain a good person. The effort and thought that she puts into keeping her shop running while still being able to help the poor people of Szechwan makes her a decent person. She doesn’t entirely give way to her alter ego, and she still is seen as herself at points in the play. For her, it’s about maintaining some essence of her good self while still reaping the benefits of her alter ego’s flourishing business. In The Good Person of Szechwan, there are many ways that showcase how someone can be a good person in a capitalist society. Shen Teh is a shining example of someone who can.