09-25-2011, 06:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-25-2011, 07:07 AM by FireIceTalon.)
Ah, I see. Indeed, the solution I think is where we fundamentally disagree. The good ol' big government vs. big business issue. I think the reason I favor big government is because there are no profits in the equation. Not that government doesn't have a multitude of other ways to screw us over, because they most certainly do. But I'm of the view (as any true Marxist scholar is) that profits drive exploitation and cause capitalism to overproduce itself since labor turns into capital and wages stagnate while profits increase, creating a huge surplus with little or no demand, leading to the classic arguments against capitalism of "alienation" and imperialism. Probably why there is no pure capitalist system in the world today, and it is this concept among others that Marx I think hits the nail on the head, and therein sits the foundation of my preference of government over big business in at least some sectors... But it must be said, my trust for government is more based on that seen in the social democracies and not our own, where they seem to at least be somewhat concerned for their citizens well-being. But in terms of OUR government, I pretty much agree with you, they are bad; very very bad. They only have the interests of the top 2% in mind, so in a sense its like handing the system over to the big businesses anyway which I personally fear so much for the reasons I stated above. But I merely view government as a lesser of two evils. I think either way we are up shits creek....be it from big government or transnational corporations. Regarding our disagreement of big governments role in economics, I think it is based on our view of human nature as well. I think you lean more towards Locke, I toward Hobbes. Neither side is right or wrong per se, just that we view human nature differently: You have more confidence in human interaction and cooperation with minimal government, I think (correct me if im wrong). I have Hobbes' view of human nature: very cynical, with everyone pursuing their self interests only. And thus you feel capitalism, while flawed, corresponds to satisfying our natural want for competition and greed. Am I right? For me, I see it as only fanning the flames (like pouring gasoline on a fire) of this cynical aspect of our nature and thus, I think we need to contain it, but we cannot do so on our own without an arbitrary and sovereign power, in my humble opinion. Hell, maybe we are both wrong, and Rousseau had it right, heh. That said, while I consider myself a true commie at heart, I don't endorse a system of pure communism nor pure capitalism in terms of rational practicality, as either one is impossible. I truly think Western Europe, while not perfect, has it down the best.....a mixture of the free market system and socialism, but leaning more toward the latter. Our system is kind of the same but leans more toward capitalism's side. Anyway, good to see where our disagreement lies, and our agreements as well. Solutions to the problems we face seem almost impossible, because both big government and big business are not a good look, regardless of which you favor. Its almost like having to choose between two very unpleasant deaths. Anyway, cool to have a discussion with someone that has a different school of thought than my own but understands this stuff, peace^^
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"Your very ideas are but the outgrowth of conditions of your bourgeois production and bourgeois property, just as your jurisprudence is but the will of your class, made into law for all, a will whose essential character and direction are determined by the economic conditions of the existence of your class." - Marx (on capitalist laws and institutions)
"Your very ideas are but the outgrowth of conditions of your bourgeois production and bourgeois property, just as your jurisprudence is but the will of your class, made into law for all, a will whose essential character and direction are determined by the economic conditions of the existence of your class." - Marx (on capitalist laws and institutions)