The Lecture Capitalism is not democratic and democracy not capitalistic. Tensions and opportunities in historical perspective regards the relationship between capitalism and democracy; to discuss whether and in which sense capitalism and democracy are compatible. Whether they reinforce or impede each other, and, if so, in which sense. The text moves from a historical perspective, but it gets to the present time. The Author concludes that historically and systematically the relationship between capitalism and democracy is ambiguous. In other words, it is not fully determined. Much depends on the kind of capitalism and the kind of democracy. Changes are possible. Much depends on agency, on collective actions, on politics and policies. They are not fully determined by the economic system, but can certainly influence it.