I have asked this question before on this list (with not much success), but when we think of freedom in marxist terms, is the life of the wealthy under capitalism a guide to what life will be like for all under communism? In other words, is the problem with the life of the wealthy under capitalism that such a life is not a good life for the wealthy individual, or that it is a good life but limited to the few and that is unjust? The quote below from Mills indicates that he would tend to agree that the life of the wealthy is a good life. Related to this question is the question of what will happen when working hours are significantly reduced. If we look, for example, at the lives of women married to wealthy men, reduced hours (in fact, the absolute lack of need to work at all) means more time at the country club, gym and mall. Is that a life of freedom in marxist terms?
David Shemano -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Doug Henwood Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 7:01 AM To: Progressive Economics Subject: Re: [Pen-l] Malcolm Gladwell's New Book Asks Us To Pity the Rich "The idea that the millionaire finds nothing but a sad, empty place at the top of this society; the idea that the rich do not know what to do with their money; the idea that the successful become filled up with futility, and that those born successful are poor and little as well as rich - the idea, in short, of the disconsolateness of the rich - is, in the main, merely a way by which those who are not rich reconcile themselves to the fact. Wealth in America is directly gratifying and directly leads to many further gratifications. To be truly rich is to possess the means of realizing in big ways one's little whims and fantasies and sicknesses...." - C. Wright Mills, The Power Elite _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
