Life was also never voluntary.
this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2024
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Capitalism isn't some unchanging and never-ending fact of existence, it can be replaced.
It can absolutely be superseded, but the concepts underlying it cannot be destroyed, and it cannot be simply erased. Rather, those underlying dynamics must be incorporated into our larger body of concepts. Similarly, capitalism cannot simply erase the foundations of earlier systems, it must adapt to incorporate those concepts, and meet the needs which those systems met - or else those needs will become great enough that they impact or temporarily displace it.
Sure, nobody said otherwise. When Socialism comes, it will be born out of Capitalist society, just as Capitalism emerged out of Feudalism, and Communism will emerge out of Socialism.
For an idea that has come before, and has difficulty "being done right", the idea that socialism and communism is what comes next seems excessively optimistic - unless you mean in some dualistic or otherwise cyclical kind of sense.
What do you mean when you say Socialism "has difficulty being done right?" How familiar are you with Marxism?
I mean that socialism sounds great on paper, but actual attempts fail terribly, and it's always someone else's fault, or this or that extenuating circumstance.
If socialism works, I encourage you to go about living a socialistic life. Which is difficult in many environments, because it's a difficult thing to implement well - whereas for capitalism, you just need to offer to trade people this for that, and things snowball.
That said, capitalism sucks, and we need to do things in a way that actually meets the needs that socialism promises to fulfill, but does poorly at actually fulfilling.
I mean that socialism sound great on paper, but actual attempts fail terribly, and it's always someone else's fault, or this or that extenuating circumstance.
What specifically do you mean when Socialist attempts "fail terribly?" I am not going to erase the struggles faced in AES countries, but I am also not going to erase their successes. Do you have examples you want to look at, specifically? Vague gesturing isn't helpful. What "sounds great on paper," but doesn't work in reality, specifically?
If socialism works, I encourage you to go about living a socialistic life. Which is difficult in many environments, because it's a difficult thing to implement well - whereas for capitalism, you just need to offer to trade people this for that, and things snowball.
What good would this do? Marxism rejects this kind of moralistic utopianism, simply acting in a Socialist manner will not eliminate Capitalism nor would it bring about Socialism. I think this reveals a lack of understanding of what Socialists want, and why.
That said, capitalism sucks, and we need to do things in a way that actually meets the needs that socialism promises to fulfill, but does poorly at actually fulfilling.
Again, why do you say Socialism does "poorly at actually fulfilling" needs? Do you have examples with metrics we can look at?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_socialism
Which particular actually existing socialism are you referring to as being functional and not actually capitalistic?
There's not really a list there, but generally, places like Cuba, what once was the USSR, Vietnam, Laos, the PRC, etc. There are also Socialist-adjacent areas like Chiapas and Rojava.
Cuba is a great example of where socialism shines. The government is small enough and the culture is contiguous enough that it's a take good option there. Good call.
What one was the USSR led to what now is Russia - many States being away and associating to greater degrees with the west, and corruption spreading like a plague. Not that the US is doing well on that front right now, but it has lasted slightly longer than the USSR without becoming total shitshow. We're getting there, though.
Capitalism can, with a discontiguous culture, 'hold it together' longer than socialism can in a similar situation before shitting the bed - particularly when there are options for some socialistic services present.
PRC isn't precisely a shining example of socialism, but is doing a great job of adopting a lot of ideas from capitalism. If any nation sorts out the balance of socialism and capitalism via praxis, it will be the PRC. Their human rights record isn't great, though, and really doesn't seem any better than western counterparts. I can accept that the PRC is a power, but I don't think it truly fits socialism, regardless of its roots.
Again, though - cultural contiguity is really key to really successful truly socialistic states - but that has greater difficulty dealing with diversity - and that shows in larger states, where excessive cultural colonization occurs (as with the PRC), or corruption results.
Cuba is a great example of where socialism shines. The government is small enough and the culture is contiguous enough that it's a take good option there. Good call.
Thank you.
What one was the USSR led to what now is Russia - many States being away and associating to greater degrees with the west, and corruption spreading like a plague. Not that the US is doing well on that front right now, but it has lasted slightly longer than the USSR without becoming total shitshow. We're getting there, though.
The USSR beat the current Russian Federation on nearly every quality of life metric until recently. The RF is not a consequence of the USSR, but of the killing of the USSR. The USSR, like Cuba, was good for the vast majority of citizens.
Capitalism can, with a discontiguous culture, 'hold it together' longer than socialism can in a similar situation before shitting the bed - particularly when there are options for some socialistic services present.
Actually ahistorical, the USSR was far more resiliant in times of crisis. The USSR didn't collapse, so much as it was killed from within. It had issues, all states do, but it was not in a time of crisis.
PRC isn't precisely a shining example of socialism, but is doing a great job of adopting a lot of ideas from capitalism. If any nation sorts out the balance of socialism and capitalism via praxis, it will be the PRC. Their human rights record isn't great, though, and really doesn't seem any better than western counterparts. I can accept that the PRC is a power, but I don't think it truly fits socialism, regardless of its roots.
The PRC is a transitional Socialist economy. It has a very large public sector, and though it is no longer Maoist, it is still Socialist overall. You may wish to read China Has Billionaires.