- Capitalism and Alternatives -

'Brother's Keeper'?---I think not!

Posted by: Stoller on October 20, 1999 at 01:03:23:

In Reply to: Premises posted by David on October 19, 1999 at 10:54:19:


: However, when stripped of all of its rhetoric we find the premises of the arguments [in favor of socialism]... This one seems to fit nicely: Each man is his brother's keeper.

It fits 'nicely' because it is simplistic---and inaccurate.

Socialism---modern, Marxist socialism---is not about tribal laws and tribal circumscriptions.

It is about people producing what they actually need (and want) instead of producing something that just happens to make some particular capitalist a bigger than average profit (such as war armaments which, paid for by taxed citizens who do not 'consume' what they purchase, are not even subject to the 'free market' purportedly defended by these instruments of death).

It is about people receiving all shares of what they produce (with, of course, a fund set aside for insurance, investment, and those unable to work---a fund determined by the workers) instead of handing over most of what they produce to the capitalist simply because the capitalist has a monopoly on the means of production.

And it, most importantly, is about people doing some of each of the work necessary to sustain the people so everyone can develop as a human being to the utmost of his and her capacity.

Those who oppose the above aims are either woefully ignorant about socialism's aims---or the capitalist exploiters (and spokespersons) who benefit from such ignorance.

Workers of the World Unite!


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