RE: Have I misunderstood socialism?
April 18, 2010 at 10:31 pm
(This post was last modified: April 18, 2010 at 10:40 pm by Oldandeasilyconfused.)
@Sae
I agree with your assessment of the inequalities in both Socialism and and Capitalism in practice.I think this may because each system claims to believe in 'equality' which is romantic nonsense at best,and pure cynicism at worst. I accept the notion of legal, civil and customary rights,but reject the notion of innate rights of any kind. Human beings are NOT equal in any sense of the word. There is no such thing as a meritocracy in the literal sense [that I have ever seen]..
Marxist perspective: Capitalism is more an effect than a cause. It is above all an economic system,which resulted from feudalism and the resulting class system. Capitalism was reinforced and broadened by the industrial revolution as societies became more industry/city and less agrarian /country based. It reinforces existing class systems and perpetuates existing inequalities and injustices. (inventing new ones whenever profitable)
Socialism is primarily a cause, a form of social rather than economic organistation. Capitalism can exist in a modified form within a Socialist system, but is not inferred,nor is a market economy with a fiat currency.
BUT both are deeply flawed as are all Utopian ideologies (IE promising mass human happiness/equality/justice,etc etc etc ad nauseum) Of the two,capitalism is probably the most pragmatic. IF one happens to be a 'have' instead of a 'have not'. It's true enough to claim some poor people of ability will prosper within a capitalist system.However, it's far easier for an affluent person of limited ability to prosper in such a rigged game.
I agree with your assessment of the inequalities in both Socialism and and Capitalism in practice.I think this may because each system claims to believe in 'equality' which is romantic nonsense at best,and pure cynicism at worst. I accept the notion of legal, civil and customary rights,but reject the notion of innate rights of any kind. Human beings are NOT equal in any sense of the word. There is no such thing as a meritocracy in the literal sense [that I have ever seen]..
Marxist perspective: Capitalism is more an effect than a cause. It is above all an economic system,which resulted from feudalism and the resulting class system. Capitalism was reinforced and broadened by the industrial revolution as societies became more industry/city and less agrarian /country based. It reinforces existing class systems and perpetuates existing inequalities and injustices. (inventing new ones whenever profitable)
Socialism is primarily a cause, a form of social rather than economic organistation. Capitalism can exist in a modified form within a Socialist system, but is not inferred,nor is a market economy with a fiat currency.
BUT both are deeply flawed as are all Utopian ideologies (IE promising mass human happiness/equality/justice,etc etc etc ad nauseum) Of the two,capitalism is probably the most pragmatic. IF one happens to be a 'have' instead of a 'have not'. It's true enough to claim some poor people of ability will prosper within a capitalist system.However, it's far easier for an affluent person of limited ability to prosper in such a rigged game.
