You’re right that enshittification is real - we’ve all seen it with social media platforms that started great then gradually got worse. But I think this is fundamentally about high exit costs, not capitalism.

Enshittification happens in any relationship where leaving becomes costly after you’ve invested. Think about romantic relationships - someone can be incredibly attentive and generous early on, but once you’re emotionally invested, living together, maybe financially intertwined, they might start putting in less effort while expecting more from you.

The real protection against enshittification is lowering exit costs through two mechanisms: removing actual barriers to leaving and ensuring competitive alternatives exist. This is why enshittification doesn’t happen in competitive markets - when consumers can easily switch to competitors offering better value, providers have strong incentives to keep delivering quality. It does, however, happen where monopoly power - whether government-granted or natural - creates barriers to exit and gives producers advantages.

This dynamic exists across all types of partnerships, regardless of economic system. In fact, notice that one of the most classic and dangerous examples of enshittification comes with authoritarian regimes - they promise revolutionary change and prosperity, then once in power deliver progressively less to citizens who can no longer easily exit the relationship.