- Capitalism and Alternatives -

Problem indeed!---a Farewell to Lark

Posted by: Stoller on October 31, 1999 at 17:36:47:

In Reply to: A Problem with Receiving 'According to One’s Need' posted by Lark on October 29, 1999 at 11:25:41:

: ...I get the impression your grappling with the problem of whether communism may just be organised capitalism.

Where did you get that?

I was pointing out that ALL forms of payment are essentially arbitrary.

: To be honest I have great sympathies with the anarchist, both reformist and revolutionary, tendency to view experimentation and ad hocary...

Ad hocary?

: ... as the order of the day and the system in which people find the real maximisation...


'Maximisation'---the language of the capitalist!

: ...of liberty and equality, the exercise of the freewill...

Freedom to or freedom from?

: ... they stick with and the socially constructed "orders" dont try to stamp each other out or compete to be the true system.

OK, go on.

: In this way you can have mutualism/market socialism existing alongside minature command economies...

Market socialism?

Are you kidding?

The market first commodifies labor. That IS capitalism.

: ...collectivist wage systems or even complete communism with the only precondition being that each acknowledge that the others "order" is their free choice. The only concern I'd have is to ensure that one region wasnt impoverished or overly subsidised at the expense of another.

Not possible as long as 'the market' exists.

: However I personally believe communism, receiving according to need, is impossible because who defines need? If someone is a junkie or an alcoholic wouldnt they just exist in some hedonistic orgy to no ones benefit and to everyones expense?

So what form of payment---if all forms are arbitrary---DO you advocate?

Or shall we just fall back on ad hocary?




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