Is it when you use capital letters properly?

  • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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    2 days ago

    Liberalism is the ideological aspect of capitalism. “Raw capitalism” doesn’r really mean anything.

    To move onto socialism, we need to overthrow the state, replace it with a socialist one, and establish public ownership as the principle aspect of the economy. Countries like China, Vietnam, and Cuba have already done this, as did the former USSR.

    • plyth@feddit.org
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      2 days ago

      For liberalism, see sibling comment.

      we need to overthrow the state

      Capitalism is making sure that there is not much of a we.

      • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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        2 days ago

        Capitalism with monopoly is still capitalism, Liberalism being a failed ideology does not mean it ceases to be Liberalism as it fails. There’s absolutely a we within capitalism, the working classes are a we.

        • plyth@feddit.org
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          2 days ago

          How would socialism prevent power from accumulating? Liberals could probably do the same with capital.

          There should be a working class we in capitalism but I don’t see it. Why do you think that it exists and that it is not dispersed?

          • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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            2 days ago

            What do you mean “power accumulating?” This sounds like you’re talking about magic or something. Capitalists use capital for their plunder, I don’t see what you mean by linking that to socialism. As for the working class “we,” are you asking why we aren’t organized? That takes time and effort.

            • plyth@feddit.org
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              2 days ago

              What do you mean “power accumulating?”

              People in power tend to grab more power. Like Capitalism would be acceptable if there was a progressive tax on capital. But those with much capital would collude to undermine it. Likewise socialism could also decay if the people in power would use the power to their advantage. How is that mitigated?

              “we,” are you asking why we aren’t organized?

              Not exactly. I think that there is no ‘we’ among the working class which prevents the organizing.

              • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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                1 day ago

                People in power don’t tend to “grab more power.” “Power” is not a metaphysical power that corrupts people, what actually happens is that systems like capitalism reward those that get profit by any means necessary.

                Capitalism would not be acceptable even with a progressive tax. The basic fact is that capitalists want to pay as little as possible while workers want to be paid as much as possible, and that all profit a capitalist could make comes from value workers created.

                Not only this, but capitalism trends towards imperialism and collapse, it’s unsustainable. Over time, there is a tendency for the rate of profit to fall due to a rise in the ratio of capital to labor as representing the value of a commodity. This is combatted by expansion to raise absolute profits, and by monopoly to raise rates of profit. What this creates is a systemic push towards underdeveloping the global sourh, placing compradors in power, and super-exploiting foreign workers for super profits.

                The US Empire is at the helm, but western Europe and strategic allies also benefit and participate in this system. No amount of progressive taxation can fix this, what we need is for humanity to become the master of capital. We need to work towards collectivization of all production and distribution, and orient this towards satisfying the needs of everyone.

                I also have no idea what you’re hinting at by saying “there’s no we.”

                • plyth@feddit.org
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                  1 day ago

                  People in power don’t tend to “grab more power.”

                  Why do you believe that?

                  The basic fact is that capitalists want to pay as little as possible while workers want to be paid as much as possible

                  Same problem in Socialism among workers unless all are paid equally.

                  capitalist could make comes from value workers created.

                  Capitalists bring the company. There would be no capitalists if workers would create their own companies in sufficcient numbers.

                  capitalist could make comes from value workers created.

                  Yes

                  and collapse, it’s unsustainable. …

                  I think that is lore of hope that is wrong. At last there would be one capitalist, owning everything. What should challenge his power if workers are kept placit and divided?

                  No amount of progressive taxation can fix this

                  Why? If there would be enough taxation, UBI jobs would pay their worth and profits would shrink. Problem is that Capitalists would oppose this, and still resource allocation by value and not benefit.

                  humanity to become the master of capital.

                  That’s fine with me.

                  We need to work towards collectivization

                  I also have no idea what you’re hinting at by saying “there’s no we.”

                  Where is the collective that does the collectivization?

                  • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.ml
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                    1 day ago

                    Power isn’t a supernatural corrupting force, power is a tool, not a need itself. There is no tendency for those in power to try to get more.

                    Socialism works to eradicate class distinctions. Workers wanting more for their labor is fine, but in capitalism it’s the capitalists that hold all of the leverage and thus pay workers as little as possible. Capitalists are parasites.

                    Capitalists do not “bring the company,” they own the paper that legally entails them to it. The workers are the ones that run the company, capitalists are entirely unnecessary from an economic standpoint.

                    If there was a single capitalist owning everything, then there wouldn’t be. Capitalism demands competition and circulation of commodities, capitalists depend on that for profit. If it all dies, then capitalism would cease to function and break down, and the ensuing fallout would result in either socialism or barbarism.

                    As I alluded to above, the tendency for the rate of profit to fall in a finite world results in gradual breakdown of capitalism. Imperialism causes it to stick around for longer, but also prompts revolution in the global south. Taxation cannot stop the fundamental problems with sustaining an economy where rates of profit lower over time and competition dies.

                    As for collectivization, it just sounds like you’re asking why we aren’t yet organized. Some countries already have organized and successfully established socialism, the rest of us still need to organize.