I am completely opposed to Capitalism too. That because I favor the incorruptible free market, and dislike intensely the mixed economy that is Capitalism. Mixed economy is the euphemistic description of the unholy alliance between Corporations and States.
This is how Classical Political Economy treats the problem generally.
A Privilege is a law that benefits one at the expense of another. A Privilege is a kind of one-way exchange. If you are privileged, you get something but give nothing in return.
When you work, it isn't easy to save. If you want to save, you must generally take two jobs, work heavy extra hours and suchlike. You get tired trying to accumulate wealth.
If you have a privilege, it is easy to save. You just go about your business like everyone else, even as income from the privilege is mounting in the bank. If you play your cards right, you will invest your privilege income in the acquisition of more privilege, preferably in one that increases in value as the economy expands.
In due course, you can give up the pretence of working and enjoy your privilege income (of course while retaining the privilege). Now, many squander their privilege incomes, but the clever ones don't. In due course, we have in our society people who need not work, need not worry too much about the petty things that occupy our minds.
Along the way, they are likely to ennoble themselves. In Europe, they acquired titles to emphasize their stature. In the US that doesn't happen, does it?
Well, yes! Which is why we have so many Honorables, Right Honorables, and other political titles attaching to people long after they've left the political arena. A Senator is always a Senator, A Mayor or Governor is always a Mayor or Governor, and so on.
So, the job of every reformer should be to get rid of all Privilege - even his own.
Harry
____________________________________________
John wrote:
I'm not sure I understand why I should do this. Cuba does somethings
well and others miserably. I often wonder what they would do well and
miserably if they weren't embargoed but that would be too logical for this
emotional issue. I don't just England by competition with other systems.
(note my just posted message) I am surprised that all of the systems don't
work. Most of them are so much more simple then analyzing chromatic
harmony or understanding Heinrich Schenker.
> >
> >Ray Evans Harrell
> >New York City
>**********
> One of the principal (AND principle ) reasons that I am so passionately
> opposed to the Capitalist system or mode of (social ) production and
> (social) re-production is that, under this particular (historical) system,
> those with access to accumulated surplus wealth or ' Capital' tend to
> appropriate yet more and more surplus profits/wealth for THEIR personal
> gratification, and in so doing come to DOMINATE the daily lives of
> millions of their fellow human beings and 'citizens' - who do not 'own'
> such great material wealth, and therefore the economic/social/political
> power over others that such wealth commands.
>
> The main reason for comparing the British system of public healthcare with
> that of say Cuba is to become aware of the 'outcomes' and efficacy of the
> two (diverse) sub-systems and, hence, the ' truth-efficacy' of the broader
> socio-economic structures or respective systems of which they form part.
>
> Although said by some to be a socialised/socialist system, the British NHS
> is nevertheless part of the broader British political economy, in which
> the private accumulation of Capital wealth is the dominant value. Indeed a
> cornerstone of British Law and economic activity is the 'right' to
> 'private' property, with the entire society segmented and divided by
> various (pretentious) social ranks or strata ranging from 'royal' and
> 'majestic' personages and families thru a mind-numbing assortment of '
> lesser royals' titles, so-called ' middle-class professionals' ( including
> civil 'servants', members of the still-influential priestly class and the
> like) and the ' working class', to THE poor, THE homeless, THE
> un-employed, THE destitute, THE needy and so on.
>
> It is primarily the latter two eschelons who the NHS are said to 'serve',
> as the millions who constitute their ranks have historically lacked the
> 'means' (money) to pay the (extortionate) 'fees' set by upper-middle-class
> 'private' healthcare practitioners. The 'royal' personages and other
> 'middle-class' citizens by contrast, simply do not experience such
> deprivation and humiliation, having more-than-sufficient wealth to ensure
> a healthy lifestyle (good food, regular holidays etc) and 'private' health
> insurance (part-funded, in this country at least, by generous public
> subsidies), and are not forced to labour in dangerous occupations or
> ' jobs', for meagre and increasingly insecure incomes, or live in un-healthy,
> sub-human/sub-standard accommodation in polluted environs.
>
> Abjuring such alienating and offensive, anti-social ' values', the leaders
> of the Cuban Revolution drove out from their land the U$ counterparts of
> the British Capitalist Class (and their servile minions) and endeavoured
> to establish a society wherein ALL citizens are accorded more or less
> equitable value and ' rights' as the rest of their fellow Cubans. Of
> course as history records, such 'godless communism' was anathema to the
> god-fearing, money-worshiping US Capitalist Class (and their servile
> minions), and so a military and economic ' embargo' was imposed upon the
> Cuban peoples by the wealthiest and most powerful empire the world has
> ever seen - which had the effect, of course, of driving them straight into the
> arms of the Russian pluto-bureaucrats!
>
> Despite all this, the Cuban 'Dictator' and those around him somehow
> managed to establish a public education system and a public health
> system that are so effective and so highly regarded as to attract wealthy
> individuals from ' The Rich Countries' (which contain, of course, increasing
> numbers of ' THE Poor' ) around the world. Moreover, so 'communist' is
> the ('evil') Castro regime ( sound familiar?) that they regularly send squads of
> Doctors to other ' Third World' countries to provide free medical services to
> those in need, and even train citizens of such countries in medical procedures
> and fundamental healthcare practices.
>
> Cuba exports Doctors to help ' foreigners' in their time of need; ' Great' Britain
> or the 'United' Kingdom (its not really racially or class-divided - MUCH)
> exports their less affluent and ill citizens to be treated by foreign medical
> practitioners! How 'rational', 'efficient' and 'democratic' is that?
>
> john foster
> Victoria, Australia
******************************
Harry Pollard
Henry George School of LA
Box 655
Tujunga CA 91042
Tel: (818) 352-4141
Fax: (818) 353-2242
*******************************
