The comparison of capitalism and socialism I've arrived at the following 20 points of contrast: Production for profit -- Production to meet human need
Employment (employers- employees, unemployed and retired) -- Work (all those fit enough volunteer services as preferred and needed) Activities necessary to support the profit system (banking, insurance, etc.) -- No wasteful activities necessary only to support capitalism Mostly hierarchical organisation (giving and taking orders) -- Mostly lateral organisation Emphasis on short-term perspective -- Short-, medium- and long-term perspective as appropriate The most developed form of class society -- A form of society without classes and class property Private (including state) ownership of the means of wealth production and distribution -- Common ownership of the means of wealth production and distribution Basically two classes: those who own and don't own the means of wealth production -- No classes: all persons stand equally in relation to the means of wealth production Nation states, wars, armed forces -- No nation states, wars, armed forces Crime (mostly property), a legal system to uphold private property rights -- No property crime, any residual crime (e.g.murder) dealt with humanely Emphasis on competition -- Emphasis on co-operation Leaders and followers -- Participants Periodic elections to choose professional politicians -- Elections as required to choose delegates or representatives Government of persons -- Administration of things Religious beliefs -- Humanist beliefs Access by economic demand (payment, with some handouts) -- Free access, each determining their own needs social context) Markets (buying and selling) for most things (including labour) -- No buying, selling or exchange (only giving and taking) Money essential for most activities -- No need for money; calculation in kind Education for elites and for masses -- Education for all While socialists have made a good job of analysing why capitalism should be abolished, we have done very little since William Morris's valiant �News from Nowhere� to help build the society that will eventually take its place. As long as there is no coherent and actively educational socialist movement, capitalism will continue by default in some form, and our object will remain unachieved. If you agree with me that we need to promote socialism much more vigorously and imaginatively than we have done, then tell me where my approach may be improved. I'd prefer you to be positive rather than negative - don't just say something is wrong, say how it can be corrected, made plainer, take something else into account, or whatever. Thank you in anticipation of your response. http://communities.msn.com/realworldsocialism __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com
