Capitalism is greed. Greed is human nature, right? Well, at least that's what some argue. So, does this mean we must live under Capitalism?
For centuries politicians have run for office claiming they will make a difference; they promise to make changes that will better the living conditions of the people they represent. Though I can't deny that there have been improvements, mostly due to revolutionary action by the masses, there has not been a significant effort to decrease the poverty level, in my opinion. Soon there will be no middle class. People will either be dirt poor or fitly rich. Is this the type of world we want to live in? I don't.
Why are we so divided? I've come to notice that this division of the working class is not an accident. It's a tool used by capitalist to keep the workers from uniting and fighting against abuse. Did you know that, yeah, though society eliminated one form of slavery, we all are still wage slaves?! The amount of money we get paid divides us. As a people, we are divided in numerous ways: wage, race, sex, culture, religion, language, education, social status, geographic location, etc. All of these are in every society, not just capitalist states, but these same things, due to the media under capitalism, are pushed to create stereotypes and hate for ourselves and others. This keeps people fighting with each other and never realizing the power they have as a collective. Workers keep getting exploited with no way of fighting back. I wonder if I'm making any sense.
Anyway, the reason I'm writing my thoughts on capitalism is because I read an article on Forbes.com rationalizing the morality of capitalism. Many of the logic it used to explain it's morality was bullshit, at least based on what I know and have been learning. I understand that it's human nature to be competitive, but it's also human nature to want to contribute, be humanitarians, and thus advance society. It's not due to capitalism itself that society has advanced, like the author of the article, "How Moral Is Capitalism", explains. Since there is no way to go back in time and test out an entirely different system, with the result of the test being that capitalism is in fact the better system and that it is the reason for all the innovation, I think this idea can't be proven and it's stupid. Humans are naturally inclined to create and innovate things if there is a need for it. I don't believe that inovation would end if capitalism declined. Does money really have to be a motivator to produce?
My final thought:
People that really want to change society need to understand that reform doesn't work. Capitalism is impossible to fix. It is flawed and rotten to the core. Or, is there hope of equality? Can capitalism be made into a system that benefited and assisted the people that keep it from crumbling, the workers? I doubt it. What do you think?
I agree w. most of your thoughtful post. No one benefitting from a system will want it changed... There was a brief opportunity in the 1920s in the Soviet Union when SOME real Marxist principles were instituted, probably the most radical being wage leveling.. Stalin smashed all the progressive reforms of the 1920s because they threatened his power. By putting back a tiered wage system, he was "buying" support from the higher earning pop. Real equality is probably utopian, but I would ask you to read about the immensely fair and progressive "quasi-socialist" countries of Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden and learn how they are approaching an ideal system for their citizens.
ReplyDeleteWill do, thanks for the input.
ReplyDeleteAfter I graduated from high school, I realized I wanted to start my own business and launch innovative products. I wasn’t motivated by money or by the idea of having people work for me, I was motivated by the opportunity to create, advance, invent, build, design, etc… I’ve worked in the family cleaning business since I was 10, and since then, never really gone out and held any other real job as an employee. So when I brainstorm the structure of my upcoming businesses, I don’t plan on sticking my employees into the minimum wage system and degrading employee handbook that is so common in the business world. I plan on doing things differently, to benefit everyone that is a part of the company and beyond. Unconventionality is a strength I use when envisioning myself in the business world. I consider myself and my brother (business partner) the new generation of entrepreneurs. There already exist radical entrepreneurs in the business world today that are destroying the primitive ways of business ethics and putting capitalist companies to shame; and together, we’re not going to fight capitalism, we’re going to push their shrinking population aside and run our businesses, cause we have more productive things to do.
ReplyDeleteIs that really possible though? How can you push the capitalist aside? You would be a capitalist, just like them. The system will force you to compete with other companies. You would want to make as much profit as possible to stay afloat. How will this be done? You would have to cut wages, increase production, and most likely move your business overseas for cheap labor.
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