Communism
Agreed. That's not the kind of Capitalism I support. I do not support capitalism which makes slaves of people or is in bed with politicians. I do support free enterprise and liberty, though.
Isn't the term "slave wages" an oxymoron? Slaves do not receive any wages whatsoever. They also work voluntarily and can quit if they choose, which is something else which means this isn't slavery. I agree the wages are bad, but look at it this way... if the corporations left there would be no jobs whatsoever. So what is better, low wages or no wages? Keep in mind that goods and services are also cheaper in those countries so even though they make less than we in the west do the stuff for sale is also less expensive so it balances out to a degree... I also think as the economy grows the situation would improve and people would gradually become richer in time.
Well, I have no problem with that. I'd like it if every country was economically prosperous as the west is...
Isn't the term "slave wages" an oxymoron? Slaves do not receive any wages whatsoever. They also work voluntarily and can quit if they choose, which is something else which means this isn't slavery. I agree the wages are bad, but look at it this way... if the corporations left there would be no jobs whatsoever. So what is better, low wages or no wages? Keep in mind that goods and services are also cheaper in those countries so even though they make less than we in the west do the stuff for sale is also less expensive so it balances out to a degree... I also think as the economy grows the situation would improve and people would gradually become richer in time.
Some things are a lot cheaper some things are dearer though. I used the term slave wages because the people who work for these ridiculously rich international countries dont live any better than a lot of existing slaves and in fact worse than most slaves that lived in the US before it became ilegal.
They work long, long hours and just to keep from dying of hunger but certainly cant afford the to live what we here would call a basic standard of living. To quit from these jobs are no choice either as it would lead to living even poorer and possibly death. These same international companies are flooding Africa with their goods and so stopping a lot of potential for the Africans developing their own growths.
The companies could afford to give thse people what would be considered a rich wage over there and still make huge profits as the wages there are rediculously low. Yes Africa has a lot of growing up to do as a continent but we need a better system here in the west for them and us to succed in a fairer world were everyone can live with dignity imo.
Perhaps my comments last night were a bit heavy handed, Psychlone, but Democracy (although not perfect) is the best system there is. The trouble with libertarianism is that it gives way to anarchy and the total collapse of civilised society.
In a true libertarian society, people could do what they want. OK, sounds good. However, if I was starving and I could see someone who was very wealthy, I would steal. There is no reason why I should respect his wealth if I had nothing. Whats more is that according to true libertarianism, you couldn't stop me either. I could take what I damn well pleased and unless he had the physical strength to protect his property, I could and would - after all, I was hungry. There would be no law and order or police force because that is dictatorial and military rule, which opposes the philosophy of libertarianism.
Eventually, rich people would have their own private armies and bully weaker people into submission and perhaps force them to work for them. There would be no State to stop this, no recognised government, just ruthless anarchy.
Doesn't sound so rosy anymore, does it???
RobertN, you are confusing Libertarianism with Anarcho-capitalism. Anarcho-Capitalism proposes an end to all government, but Libertarian Capitalism proposes a minimalist government which would still provide a police force and a military for defense and law and order, as well as other basic services. I am not an anarchist and I don't advocate abolishing the state, but I do want to see it in chains so that it doesn't put its citizens in chains.
Libertarianism also opposes the use of force and fraud. So if corporations are using slave labor or cheating people, I as a Libertarian would be very much opposed to that and that is where I see some government as being necessary.
Now, there is also left-wing libertarianism and anarchism which might appeal to some of you better. They propose abolishing both the state and private property. Instead of nationalizing property, they propose having communal ownership of property. Some say they are the real Marxists.
And that doesn't happen now? We don't have ruthless anarchy, because the power-blocs that exist have everything sewn up quite comfortably.
My difference in this is that an allegedly 'objective' and 'non-partisan' state apparatus proves itself, time and time again, to be amazingly pliant and aporic when it comes to challenging the doings of the truly rich and powerful.
Guess which side the police take whenever there is Industrial Action.
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"The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw (Taken from someone on comp.programming)
In a true libertarian society, people could do what they want. OK, sounds good. However, if I was starving and I could see someone who was very wealthy, I would steal. There is no reason why I should respect his wealth if I had nothing. Whats more is that according to true libertarianism, you couldn't stop me either. I could take what I dam* well pleased and unless he had the physical strength to protect his property, I could and would - after all, I was hungry. There would be no law and order or police force because that is dictatorial and military rule, which opposes the philosophy of libertarianism.
Eventually, rich people would have their own private armies and bully weaker people into submission and perhaps force them to work for them. There would be no State to stop this, no recognised government, just ruthless anarchy.
Doesn't sound so rosy anymore, does it???
There will be a time don't worry.
People can only be pushed so far.
The most depressing scenario I see is one where we don't solve our environmental problems.
Or we solve them as badly as Inquiry to the Urban Prospect.
<i>"In a true libertarian society, people could do what they want. OK, sounds good. However, if I was starving and I could see someone who was very wealthy, I would steal. There is no reason why I should respect his wealth if I had nothing. Whats more is that according to true libertarianism, you couldn't stop me either. I could take what I dam* well pleased and unless he had the physical strength to protect his property, I could and would - after all, I was hungry. There would be no law and order or police force because that is dictatorial and military rule, which opposes the philosophy of libertarianism.
Eventually, rich people would have their own private armies and bully weaker people into submission and perhaps force them to work for them. There would be no State to stop this, no recognised government, just ruthless anarchy. "</i>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Commune
The Paris Commune existed for a few months, but nation-states eventually tore it down. An Anarchist system would have a very hard time existing, because it's in the interest of all nation states to not allow such an arangement. Might give people ideas.
Assassin
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Communism has failed every time its been attempted ONLY becos its allways been done usin a dictatorial system. Any system ruled by one person only, with no checks or balances, will inevitably turn fascist eventually. Im sure ive sed that at leest once before in this topic.
Allso, what you sed about the Nazis. Nazism is NOT [socialist] in nature. Like Sovietism, its socialist in name ONLY.
EDIT "socialist" in "Nazism is NOT socialist in nature" was "scialist" until i re-read the post
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Last edited by Assassin on 14 Nov 2005, 7:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Communism has failed every time its been attempted ONLY becos its allways been done usin a dictatorial system.
How could it be any other way? If you want a communist society, who's going to do all the income levelling? Answer: the elite, i.e., the state. All communism does it take power away from the people.
It's no accident that communism has been a miserable failure in every country that's adopted it (and I include Cuba in that).
But income levelling is not the primary motivation behind income tax in the West.
And I'd be in favour of lower taxes anyway.
A truly communist government assigns all jobs, makes sure everyone earns the same, and suppresses anyone who tries to change their lot in life.