[Marxism] saving capitalism from the capitalists

[Gary MacLennan via Marxism]

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Michael Roberts' blog on the *Inclusive Capitalism* conference sponsored by
Lady Rothschild was a good read (as usual). The last paragraph struck me as
particularly interesting



Both Lady Rothschild and Thomas Piketty believe in capitalism. Both reckon
that capitalists can be made to or persuaded to act to reduce inequality,
create a better environment and adopt moral policies in investment. Piketty
wants more and higher taxes to do this; Lady Rothschild wants shareholder
power. But ‘responsible’ or ‘inclusive’ capitalism won’t and can’t deliver.



It is the phenomenon that Piketty and the good Lady represent that
interests me.  I think they are like the canaries in the 19thC coal mine.
 They are flopping about , showing signs of distress and in so doing
presaging a tremendous explosion.  The distress of the canaries is genuine,
but it does nothing to halt the build up of methane.



Truly, the strength of the forces at work in today's world is such that it
seems that agency has made way for structure. The assaults on the poor and
the ecosystem are remorseless. The crucifixion of Greece, for instance, is
a species of madness.  None of it makes economic or moral sense, as
Habermas points out. But it is not only the canaries  like Prince Charles
and Lady Rothschild that are getting alarmed.  For every beautiful soul
anguished by the spread of inequality, there are plenty of hard men and
women who are determined to do whatever it takes to protect existing
capitalist social relations. And that means that if Greece needs to be
sacrificed to act as a warning to Podemos and Sinn Fein, then so be it.



In the coming struggle, the beautiful souls will have no role to play. Only
the courage and strength and solidarity of the working class can save us.


comradely

Gary
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[Marxism] saving capitalism from the capitalists

[Gary MacLennan via Marxism]

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Aditya Chakrabortty has  a piece in the Guardian (UK) on the coming strike
in the UK.  His argument, which draws on IMF analysis, is that rising
inequality is threatening capitalism and it can only be countered by union
power. So he is in support of the strike.

Of course, the crushing of union power has set in place a dialectic that
has delivered suffering and poverty and economic imbalance.  But
capitalists will not listen to the likes of Chakrabortty.  They will
continue to wage class war on the rest of us.  They will do so because that
is what they do.

Eventually someday, somewhere, they will pay a price.  It will once more be
the best of times and the worst of times.

comradely

Gary

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