It can absolutely be superseded, but the concepts underlying it cannot be destroyed, and it cannot be simply erased. Rather, those underlying dynamics must be incorporated into our larger body of concepts. Similarly, capitalism cannot simply erase the foundations of earlier systems, it must adapt to incorporate those concepts, and meet the needs which those systems met - or else those needs will become great enough that they impact or temporarily displace it.
Sure, nobody said otherwise. When Socialism comes, it will be born out of Capitalist society, just as Capitalism emerged out of Feudalism, and Communism will emerge out of Socialism.
For an idea that has come before, and has difficulty “being done right”, the idea that socialism and communism is what comes next seems excessively optimistic - unless you mean in some dualistic or otherwise cyclical kind of sense.
I mean that socialism sounds great on paper, but actual attempts fail terribly, and it’s always someone else’s fault, or this or that extenuating circumstance.
If socialism works, I encourage you to go about living a socialistic life. Which is difficult in many environments, because it’s a difficult thing to implement well - whereas for capitalism, you just need to offer to trade people this for that, and things snowball.
That said, capitalism sucks, and we need to do things in a way that actually meets the needs that socialism promises to fulfill, but does poorly at actually fulfilling.
I mean that socialism sound great on paper, but actual attempts fail terribly, and it’s always someone else’s fault, or this or that extenuating circumstance.
What specifically do you mean when Socialist attempts “fail terribly?” I am not going to erase the struggles faced in AES countries, but I am also not going to erase their successes. Do you have examples you want to look at, specifically? Vague gesturing isn’t helpful. What “sounds great on paper,” but doesn’t work in reality, specifically?
If socialism works, I encourage you to go about living a socialistic life. Which is difficult in many environments, because it’s a difficult thing to implement well - whereas for capitalism, you just need to offer to trade people this for that, and things snowball.
What good would this do? Marxism rejects this kind of moralistic utopianism, simply acting in a Socialist manner will not eliminate Capitalism nor would it bring about Socialism. I think this reveals a lack of understanding of what Socialists want, and why.
That said, capitalism sucks, and we need to do things in a way that actually meets the needs that socialism promises to fulfill, but does poorly at actually fulfilling.
Again, why do you say Socialism does “poorly at actually fulfilling” needs? Do you have examples with metrics we can look at?
Every self professed attempt in history to enact socialism either has already been declared not good enough to count as socialism, or will be declared as such in the future, when it gets even worse.
The labor theory of value is so poor as to be indefensible, and scarcity is a property of nature, rather than capitalism.
Every self professed attempt in history to enact socialism either has already been declared not good enough to count as socialism, or will be declared as such in the future, when it gets even worse.
Declared by who? I would much rather be living in a tier 1 city in China right now personally. Or in Cuba if the US ever stopped strangling it.
The labor theory of value is so poor as to be indefensible
I agree, David Ricardo was incorrect, and Marx’s refutation in his theory of value explains the creation of value much better. (Imagine reading Marx and not Wikipedia on Marx)
and scarcity is a property of nature, rather than capitalism
Scarcity is a property of nature and artificial scarcity is a product of commodity fetishism (necessary for capitalism to function)
Implicitly, by everyone that does not herald the successes of those self professed socialist economies. Explicitly, by too many individuals in too many circumstances to usefully list.
I would much rather be living in a tier 1 city in China right now personally. Or in Cuba if the US ever stopped strangling it.
I mean this sincerely; please move. If you are correct, you will benefit the world overall and yourself.
I agree, David Ricardo was incorrect, and Marx’s refutation in his theory of value explains the creation of value much better. (Imagine reading Marx and not Wikipedia on Marx)
I have only read “Das Kapital”, and only by translation. Marx directly asserts the equivalency between the value of a good, and the amount of labor-time that it takes to produce that good on average (accounting for the labor-time that it took to produce tools and raw materials necessary to that process). That is the labor theory of value in a nutshell.
artificial scarcity is a product of commodity fetishism (necessary for capitalism to function)
If you believe that the scarcity we face is largely artificial, then either move to a country further on its way to communism, or start a company that will pay workers a more equal share of the value they produce.
I was replying in the context of the comment that you were replying to, which I believe to be referencing historical self-professed attempts at socialism, which have ended in various kinds of disasters.
What is getting worse, and why would it?
Governments that profess themselves to be socialist have a tendency to centralize almost total control over the laws, courts, and economy in the hands of a very few people. When this happens, it leads to human rights abuses, and other issues. Admittedly, some self-professed socialist countries are doing relatively well on this, but it’s by having strong constitutional guarantees of rights, a multi-party democratic political system, robust trade in goods, and limited state control over the means of production, and the economy at large.
Why?
This is where I think you’re not asking these questions in good faith. Consider a case where a brand new life saving invention is made. If this hypothetical invention took minimal time and resources to make, would it then be extremely low value? By contrast, imagine a new food is invented, which is bland, unappetizing, and even uncomfortable to eat. On top of that, it takes many years of diligent work, and comically large resources to produce. Is this food very valuable?
To accept the labor theory of value, you must accept both absurdities (and throw out any ordinary connotation of the term “value”), or engage in special pleading to sabotage them.
Life was also never voluntary.
Capitalism isn’t some unchanging and never-ending fact of existence, it can be replaced.
It can absolutely be superseded, but the concepts underlying it cannot be destroyed, and it cannot be simply erased. Rather, those underlying dynamics must be incorporated into our larger body of concepts. Similarly, capitalism cannot simply erase the foundations of earlier systems, it must adapt to incorporate those concepts, and meet the needs which those systems met - or else those needs will become great enough that they impact or temporarily displace it.
Sure, nobody said otherwise. When Socialism comes, it will be born out of Capitalist society, just as Capitalism emerged out of Feudalism, and Communism will emerge out of Socialism.
For an idea that has come before, and has difficulty “being done right”, the idea that socialism and communism is what comes next seems excessively optimistic - unless you mean in some dualistic or otherwise cyclical kind of sense.
What do you mean when you say Socialism “has difficulty being done right?” How familiar are you with Marxism?
I mean that socialism sounds great on paper, but actual attempts fail terribly, and it’s always someone else’s fault, or this or that extenuating circumstance.
If socialism works, I encourage you to go about living a socialistic life. Which is difficult in many environments, because it’s a difficult thing to implement well - whereas for capitalism, you just need to offer to trade people this for that, and things snowball.
That said, capitalism sucks, and we need to do things in a way that actually meets the needs that socialism promises to fulfill, but does poorly at actually fulfilling.
What specifically do you mean when Socialist attempts “fail terribly?” I am not going to erase the struggles faced in AES countries, but I am also not going to erase their successes. Do you have examples you want to look at, specifically? Vague gesturing isn’t helpful. What “sounds great on paper,” but doesn’t work in reality, specifically?
What good would this do? Marxism rejects this kind of moralistic utopianism, simply acting in a Socialist manner will not eliminate Capitalism nor would it bring about Socialism. I think this reveals a lack of understanding of what Socialists want, and why.
Again, why do you say Socialism does “poorly at actually fulfilling” needs? Do you have examples with metrics we can look at?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_socialism
Which particular actually existing socialism are you referring to as being functional and not actually capitalistic?
Every self professed attempt in history to enact socialism either has already been declared not good enough to count as socialism, or will be declared as such in the future, when it gets even worse.
The labor theory of value is so poor as to be indefensible, and scarcity is a property of nature, rather than capitalism.
Declared by who? I would much rather be living in a tier 1 city in China right now personally. Or in Cuba if the US ever stopped strangling it.
I agree, David Ricardo was incorrect, and Marx’s refutation in his theory of value explains the creation of value much better. (Imagine reading Marx and not Wikipedia on Marx)
Scarcity is a property of nature and artificial scarcity is a product of commodity fetishism (necessary for capitalism to function)
Implicitly, by everyone that does not herald the successes of those self professed socialist economies. Explicitly, by too many individuals in too many circumstances to usefully list.
I mean this sincerely; please move. If you are correct, you will benefit the world overall and yourself.
I have only read “Das Kapital”, and only by translation. Marx directly asserts the equivalency between the value of a good, and the amount of labor-time that it takes to produce that good on average (accounting for the labor-time that it took to produce tools and raw materials necessary to that process). That is the labor theory of value in a nutshell.
If you believe that the scarcity we face is largely artificial, then either move to a country further on its way to communism, or start a company that will pay workers a more equal share of the value they produce.
Who is doing that?
What is getting worse, and why would it? Socialist States can and do improve over time, sometimes massively.
Why?
Who said it wasn’t?
You’re figthing ghosts and strawmen that are not here.
I was replying in the context of the comment that you were replying to, which I believe to be referencing historical self-professed attempts at socialism, which have ended in various kinds of disasters.
Governments that profess themselves to be socialist have a tendency to centralize almost total control over the laws, courts, and economy in the hands of a very few people. When this happens, it leads to human rights abuses, and other issues. Admittedly, some self-professed socialist countries are doing relatively well on this, but it’s by having strong constitutional guarantees of rights, a multi-party democratic political system, robust trade in goods, and limited state control over the means of production, and the economy at large.
This is where I think you’re not asking these questions in good faith. Consider a case where a brand new life saving invention is made. If this hypothetical invention took minimal time and resources to make, would it then be extremely low value? By contrast, imagine a new food is invented, which is bland, unappetizing, and even uncomfortable to eat. On top of that, it takes many years of diligent work, and comically large resources to produce. Is this food very valuable?
To accept the labor theory of value, you must accept both absurdities (and throw out any ordinary connotation of the term “value”), or engage in special pleading to sabotage them.
🦗
lol
That’s the standard Marxist take. The elements of class society don’t really have much of a reason to continue as Socialism develops.
Im14andthisisdeep
Capitalism is less than 400 years old. It will come and go just like class systems that preceded it.
Indeed, followed by other means of organizing society. …and on and on.