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I reject this theory. Marx was a collectivist and not an individualist. The marxist ideology he would not agree with the founders visions of America and not a thomas jefferson. They believe in the people first concept but how the people are equal and have rights is quite different.
Maybe they wouldn't agree with Marx, but then they lived in a different world from Marx. Jefferson lived in an agrarian society where people could at least grow food for themselves on open land, and where steam engines as such were little more than engineering novelties and did little productive work. The dominant class was the aristrocracy, people with titles and land granted to them by nobilities. Marx lived in an industrial society where large numbers of people lived in cities and toiled in factories working with machines and not able to feed themselves since there was no free farmland. The dominant social class of the industrial revolution was not the aristrocracy, but the burgeoisie- people with money. The burgeoisie of pre-industrial Europe and America, on the other hand, existed with much less influence, since money could not be transformed as easily into increased production and wealth.
Since Jefferson wasn't contemporaneous with Marx, the point is moot, as well.
Successful societies like successful organisms use and keep what works and discard what does not.
I guess Marx would disagree with this.
Anywayz, I believe that (individual) greed will always be our greatest weakness, which is ironic because it also is our greatest strength (our main reason to innovate).
I invent and innovate because it amuses me and keeps my brain active. I have never had the money to make any money from my inventions. That is the way the system is arranged.
I invent and innovate because it amuses me and keeps my brain active. I have never had the money to make any money from my inventions. That is the way the system is arranged.
I disagree.
It is my experience that the system is more build upon economic principles than individual needs. The wants of the many generally outweigh the needs of the individual.
I personally have the need to be free and / or be independent, unfortunately you cannot be 'free & independent' without money. It seems that freedom costs money.
Maybe a mixture of capitalism and socialism would be more efficient than our current concentration of wealth, privilege and power in the hands of an elitist few. Instead of just paying workers a wage perhaps they should also receive a substantial amount of stock in the company that employs them. That would allow them, or their union, to have informational access and voting right on the Board of Directors. This would give the workers some say on the executive’s salaries just as the executives control the employee’s salaries. As both the employees and the directors shared ownership the likelihood of really unfair decisions would be reduced.
The USA has deviated from the FDR/Truman New/Fair Deal ideology of fairness and equality for the common American to one that benefits corporations, their handlers, CEO's shareholders- easily called subsidization or socialism to the rich. So yes we have Socialism in this nation- for the wealthy! The rest of of us live under the yoke of a sort of twisted Social Darwinist marriage between corporations and Government - just the sort of arrangement that Karl Marx spoke of. This basically has been the idealogical era we have lived in since the late 1970s.
But what has happened- with the FEDS increasingly illegal intervention?- We have begun to destroy the foundations of an economy that can regulate itself. Arthur Burns- the Fed chief in the Nixon administration also flooded the economy with dollars- the result was the rampant inflation later on- it will be no different this time. Gasoline prices are just the beginning of soaring costs we shall see- with food the next item to head to the sky.
The USA firstly needs to reform health care- if it is to survive firstly as an industrial power with any legitimacy. The Rugged Individualism of the 1920s' with Coolidge & Hoover is a concept of the far past.
The USA has sadly evolved into a Banana Republic like fascist plutocracy/oligarchy that harbors the worst elements of capitalism. If the nation is to survive and thrive it must evolve its economic system just as its founding document- the Constitution was able to adapt and change and breath. Without change, we have an economic system that brings more middle class frustration and anger-and is a breeding ground for a massive social catastrophe; Perhaps Marx was the political genius of the 19th century. Nothing 'Helicopter' Ben Bernanke does will be able to save this economy, which has concentrated power and money into a few.
Last edited by skytrekker; 04-28-2008 at 05:51 AM..
Maybe a mixture of capitalism and socialism would be more efficient than our current concentration of wealth, privilege and power in the hands of an elitist few. Instead of just paying workers a wage perhaps they should also receive a substantial amount of stock in the company that employs them. That would allow them, or their union, to have informational access and voting right on the Board of Directors. This would give the workers some say on the executive’s salaries just as the executives control the employee’s salaries. As both the employees and the directors shared ownership the likelihood of really unfair decisions would be reduced.
There are businesses that have done that. I remember an airline called "People Airlines" that did that in the 80's. Everyone was very excited about it. It went belly-up fairly quickly. So many businesses that try this seem to go belly-up. I'm not sure why.
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I disagree.
It seems that freedom costs money.
