Socialism and Capitalism

#Socialism is a socio-economic path where the production (factories, mines, machinery, tools, raw materials, land, buildings, means of transport, etc.) are owned and controlled by the public. The goal is to create a basic equitable distribution of wealth and power by reducing the disparities seen in capitalist societies. Socialism abolishes private control of the means of production, to transition to a system where goods and services are produced for use rather than profit. The guiding economic principle of socialism is “from each according to their ability, to each according to their work.”

Public Ownership: Big industries and resources are owned and managed by the people, democratic governance and cooperatives.

Economic Planning: Planning is used to allocate resources efficiently and equitably. With the digital transition and #4opens technology, this becomes practical.

Social Welfare: Social programs like healthcare, education, and social security ensure a basic standard of living for all people.

Reduced Income Inequality: The gap between the rich and the poor is reduced.

Democratic Control: Workers and the public control the economic decision-making processes.

Where #capitalism is an economic system run for private ownership of the means of production and profit. This includes capital accumulation, competitive markets, a price system, private property, and wage labour.

Private Property: Individuals and corporations own and control the means of production, and thus survival.

Market Economy: Goods and services are produced for and traded in competitive markets, where prices are determined by supply and demand. In today’s world, this means strong monopolistic control for private power and profit.

Profit Motive: The driving force behind economic activity is individual greed and the pursuit of profit.

Capital Accumulation: The accumulation of capital is central to economic growth and expansion. This leads to huge “external damage”, that’s the degradation of the poor and the environment we all live in.

Wage Labour: Workers sell their labour to owners of capital in exchange for wages. Over the last 40 years, this has seen a widening disparity.

It should be obverse to us all that capitalism leads to inequality and exploitation. Some Marxist theory:

Exploitation: In capitalism, workers do not receive the full value of their labour. Instead, the surplus value (the difference between what workers produce and what they are paid) is appropriated by capitalists as profit. We can see this plainly happening over the last 40 years.

Alienation: Workers are alienated from the products of their labour, the labour process, their fellow workers, and their own human potential because they work primarily for wages rather than for personal fulfilment or communal benefit. We have no idea how production happens anymore, our “economy” is a god we worship.

Inequality: Capitalism concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few, leading to significant social and economic inequalities. This builds social strife.

Instability: Capitalist economies push cycles of boom and bust, leading to periodic crises of overproduction and under consumption.

Means of Production The means of production are the physical, non-human inputs used for the production of economic value. This includes factories, machinery, tools, raw materials, land, and buildings. In a capitalist society, these are owned by private individuals and corporations.

Exploitation refers to how capitalists extract surplus value from workers. Workers produce more value through their labour than the wages they are paid; this excess value is taken by the capitalists as profit.

Surplus value is the difference between the value produced by labour and the actual wage paid to the labourer. It is a fundamental concept in Marxist economics, describing how capitalists generate profit by exploiting workers.

Capital refers to wealth in the form of money or assets that are used to produce more wealth. This includes investments in factories, machinery, raw materials, and labour.

Class struggle is the conflict between classes in society, primarily between the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (working class). This struggle is the driving force of historical development in Marxist theory.

Social Democracy vs. Socialism

Social democracy advocates for a mix of capitalism and socialism. It supports a market economy, but with significant government intervention to ensure social justice and equity. Policies include welfare programs, labour rights, and regulation of markets to reduce inequalities and provide public services.

Socialism transitions away from capitalism, to abolish private ownership of the means of production altogether. The goal is to establish a classless, stateless society where resources and wealth are distributed according to need.

Communism is the final stage of #Marxist theory, where the state has withered away, and a classless, stateless, and moneyless society has emerged. All means of production are owned communally, and goods and services are distributed based on need rather than market dynamics. The guiding principle is “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.”

To actually move on this path, we would need a #Revolution, to overthrow one class by another. In Marxist terms, a socialist revolution involves the working class (proletariat) overthrowing the capitalist class (bourgeoisie) and establishing a socialist state as a transition to communism. This process entails significant social and economic upheaval to replace capitalist structures with socialist ones. Understanding these concepts provides a clearer path for ongoing debates and action.

Liberalism – is not for you

The Myth of the Middle Class:
The so-called “middle class” is a constructed concept that never truly existed. If you work for a boss and earn wages or a salary, you are a worker, a member of the working class, and should take pride in that identity. The term “middle class” was created to isolate more privileged workers, serving the interests of the powerful by dividing the working population. This division prevents unity among workers and keeps them from collectively challenging the institutions and power structures that maintain their oppression.

A critique of #liberalism from a #Marxist perspective.

1. Marxist Analysis of History

Class-Based Analysis: Marxists analyse history based on class struggles and material conditions, rather than simple “common sense” ideas or metaphysical concepts.
Material Conditions: Ideas, including those of influential thinkers like Marx, are shaped by the material conditions of their time.

2. Historical Context of Liberalism

Western European Phenomenon: Liberalism developed primarily in Western Europe within a feudal background.
Urban Centres and the Rise of the Bourgeoisie: Economic and technological developments in urban centres led to the rise of the bourgeoisie (burghers), who eventually clashed with feudal landlords.
Guilds and Standardization: The formation of guilds standardized production methods, leading to increased productive capacity and economic power for the bourgeoisie.
Class Struggle and Political Power: The #bourgeoisie eventually overthrew the #feudal order, leading to bourgeois democratic revolutions in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries.

3. Ideological Tenets of Liberalism

Individual Liberty: Claimed to support individual freedom, but in practice, this freedom can be suspended at will.
Anti-Concentration of Power: Advocates for a plurality of power to prevent tyranny, but often consolidates power when necessary to protect capitalist interests.
Constitutionalism: Constitutions serve to protect capitalist relations and private property, often disregarded when inconvenient for the ruling class.
Pro Minority Rights: Initially meant the rights of property owners (bourgeoisie), not class, racial or ethnic minorities.
Sanctification of Private Property: Private property is central to capitalism and liberalism, and its protection is paramount for maintaining bourgeois power.
Capitalism: Liberalism supports capitalist economic structures, often contradicting its own ideals of freedom and equality to do this.

4. Critique of Liberalism

Contradictory Philosophy: Liberalism claims to champion individual liberty and anti-tyranny, but primarily serves the interests of the bourgeoisie.
Superficial Plurality: The appearance of multiple parties and democratic plurality is a façade, with fundamental capitalist interests remaining unchanged.
Constitutional Limitations: Constitutions are tools to maintain capitalist order, with true reforms (like abolishing private property) being impossible within liberal frameworks.
Selective Minority Rights: The protection of minority rights under liberalism prioritizes property owners.
Economic Supremacy: Liberalism’s main function is to protect the economic supremacy of the capitalist class, and it can easily and quickly transition to #fascism when capital feels threatened.

Conclusion

Liberalism, according to a Marxist, is a tool for maintaining bourgeois power and protecting capitalist interests. It presents itself as a philosophy of freedom and equality, but is contradictory in implementation to serving the ruling capitalist class.

#KISS our “common sense” is a problem on this path.

“Tanky” is a derogatory term for vertical factions within the left

The term #tanky is a colloquial and derogatory label used to describe some vertical factions within the left, particularly those who defend authoritarian socialist states and their historical actions. Origins of the Term, “tanky” is within the British left-wing circles, initially used to describe those who supported the Soviet Union’s intervention in Hungary in 1956. This intervention involved the use of tanks to suppress an anti-government uprising, hence the term “tanky.”

Evolution of the term, over time the use of “tanky” has broadened, and its meaning has become more nebulous. It is often used to describe people who:

Support Historical and Current Socialist States: This includes those who have a positive view of the #USSR, Cuba, Vietnam, and other socialist nations, seeing value in their experiences and lessons.
Defend or Clarify Misconceptions: Some “tankies” are seen as defending the actions of socialist states or providing nuanced explanations for their controversial actions. This can be interpreted as running defence for perceived inexcusable acts.
Marxist-Leninist and Adjacent Ideologies: The term is also used more broadly to label those who support Marxist-Leninist principles like the dictatorship of the proletariat, democratic centralism, and economic planning.
Dismissive Label by Opponents: It is often used by liberals and others to dismiss and ostracize those who are further left without engaging in their arguments. This usage is prevalent among those who adopt radical liberal stances without theoretical engagement.
Caricature: Finally, it is used to create a straw man of a person who uncritically supports everything a socialist nation does, a figure that rarely exists in reality.

In Contemporary usage and messy discourse, “tanky” is used online to label and dismiss leftists without an understanding of the ideological nuances involved. It is employed by those who want to avoid engaging in debates about socialist theory and history. The term carry connotations of anti-Americanism, as those labelled as “tankies” criticize U.S. foreign policy and support anti-imperialist movements.

Implications of the use of the term, reflects a superficial engagement with leftist theory and history. It is an attempt to infantilize or discredit #Marxist analysis and reduce complex historical events and theoretical discussions to simplistic binaries. The term is about shutting down dialogue, rather than fostering an understanding of socialist movements and their legacies.

The term “tanky” has become a catch-all phrase with a variety of meanings, used to discredit and marginalize the more dogmatic factions of the left. Understanding its origins and the context of its use can help in evaluating when and why it is employed in online “debates” and public discourse.

“Don’t be a prat” comes to mind.