The definitive ideological shield for systemic injustice. This fallacy argues that any critique of a dominant system (like Capitalism or Liberal Democracy) is invalid because the system "works"—usually defined as generating wealth or maintaining stability for a privileged in-group. It deliberately conflates partial functional utility for some with moral legitimacy and universal benefit. The argument dismisses documented atrocities, exploitation, and existential risks as "unfortunate side-effects" or "necessary costs" of a system whose ultimate success is measured only by its own perpetuation.
Example: Defending the brutal exploitation of the Global South, a pundit says, "Sure, sweatshops are harsh, but they're part of the capitalist engine that lifts nations out of poverty. It works!" This commits the But It Works Fallacy. It uses the macro-level metric of GDP growth to morally justify the micro-level brutality, framing human suffering as a required fuel for a machine whose "working" is judged solely by its own expansion, not by human well-being.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 6, 2026
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