Typically it&#x27;s the critiques of liberalism and capitalism that treat life as zero-sum.  The capitalist defense of inequality is that the world isn&#x27;t zero-sum. Because people can do extraordinarily well for themselves by creating value for others, they do, and we are all better off.<p>The 60s civil rights movement was a classically liberal movement. They were demanding equal treatment under the law.  &quot;Civil rights&quot; movements today are usually asking for special treatment. (edit: Just to clarify, I&#x27;m referring specifically to the US for this last point)