genelantz

When Did Capitalism Change?

So far, I’ve found only one person who agreed that capitalism improved standards of living at one time, but doesn’t do it now. He thought the change came at the beginning of the 19th century. I asked if he was basing his guess on the slave uprising in Haiti, but he said that wasn’t it. I think his guess was somehow based on military changes, not the economic changes I was looking for.

Why Does It Matter?

The reason it matters is that being determines consciousness. We like to think that we’re independent examiners of everything in life and that we decide what’s “right” or “wrong” based on evidence. But it isn’t so. Our attitudes about this or that come mostly from our material situation. For example, almost all workers are for increasing the minimum wage. Almost all bosses are against it.

What About the Middle Class?

In politics, the middle class barely matters. It’s just a place for leftovers who don’t fit into “bosses” or “workers.” As a group, they can’t make up their minds about anything and are liable to jump either way on any given question. Usually, they “decide” to ally with whatever class is in power. I don’t mean to denigrate them as individuals. Some of our greatest thinkers and leaders came from the middle class.

Which Side Are You On?

The words of the great labor song explain everything and why it all matters. There are only two sides in the modern world: workers and bosses. Pick one.

WHICH OPTION IS BEST?

The first option listed above is ridiculous. The second one is best because it advances the possibility of winning both on November 3 AND November 4. But independent outreach work brings a risk of being isolated and could even endanger participants. It would require substantial participation.