> So why do American thinkers keep pushing the tired, old, obviously by now false myth that capitalism equals progress?

Because capitalism requires productivity from its citizens, and the market organizes this labor in an efficient manner, which is why our grocery stores are always filled with food & toiletries.

American democracy is the result of the British Parliament's misuse of capitalism ("no taxation without representation"). Capitalism is not static and is always correcting and improving itself with the help of pro-capital governments, like women's suffrage and child labor protection laws.