Socialism for Dummies by Richard Wolff

[amrchaos]

Thanks to a right winger, I've found an excellent teacher of what socialism is.






Apparently, socialism began as a critique of the promises that capitalist made at the fall of feudalism.

 

[Moonglow]

Fabianism....

 

[emilynghiem]

Socialism is like wanting to share costs of the household
as long as more people are doing the harder work and paying for most of it
while the underlings can tag along and have a security net.

This works as long as people listen to each other,
and the group "doesn't get too big."

Where it gets out of hand is when the group grows larger
than can be managed. Then it becomes a fight over
"who is giving more and should have more say in the rules and decisions"
versus who is tagging along and needs to listen and follow the other leaders
until they are the ones contributing and in charge and have earned equal say.

Very similar to the stages in capitalism.
First the management group hires and trains the workers
to work out a production plan, until the company grows so
big that it has to reorganize. If there are more people than the
structure can accommodate, then the power of decisions concentrated
in the management at the top can't represent the concerns of all the workers
and it gets out of balance.

In both cases, there needs to be a tiered structure of training workers
or followers at the bottom to become middle and upper management
so that as the group grows, the people grow with it and take on greater responsibility
so they eventually train to become team leaders of their own depts and eventually their own companies.

 

[Moonglow]

Socialism

Socialism is like wanting to share costs of the household
as long as more people are doing the harder work and paying for most of it
while the underlings can tag along and have a security net.

This works as long as people listen to each other,
and the group "doesn't get too big."

Where it gets out of hand is when the group grows larger
than can be managed. Then it becomes a fight over
"who is giving more and should have more say in the rules and decisions"
versus who is tagging along and needs to listen and follow the other leaders
until they are the ones contributing and in charge and have earned equal say.

Very similar to the stages in capitalism.
First the management group hires and trains the workers
to work out a production plan, until the company grows so
big that it has to reorganize. If there are more people than the
structure can accommodate, then the power of decisions concentrated
in the management at the top can't represent the concerns of all the workers
and it gets out of balance.

In both cases, there needs to be a tiered structure of training workers
or followers at the bottom to become middle and upper management
so that as the group grows, the people grow with it and take on greater responsibility
so they eventually train to become team leaders of their own depts and eventually their own companies.

so that would make it a quasi capitalistic socialism...

 

[Mr. H.]

Does Socialism exist within a pride of lions?

No it does not.

Does it exist anywhere in the animal kingdom?

Doubtful.

But worms, they're asexual.

Does asexuality exist within the world of Socialists?

Most definitely.

 

[emilynghiem]

Does Socialism exist within a pride of lions?

No it does not.

Does it exist anywhere in the animal kingdom?

Doubtful.

But worms, they're asexual.

Does asexuality exist within the world of Socialists?

Most definitely.

You don't count beehives and anthills as their own societies
or social conglomerates? The workers own and share production.
There are some higher ranked queens more important for the survival of the colony.
Is that what you are saying makes it not count as 100% classless / equal ownership?
But it is still socialistic don't you think, Mr. H. ?
All the bees or ants share the responsibility for the entire colony?

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

Yes. Socialism is for Dummies.

 

[Mr. H.]

Does Socialism exist within a pride of lions?

No it does not.

Does it exist anywhere in the animal kingdom?

Doubtful.

But worms, they're asexual.

Does asexuality exist within the world of Socialists?

Most definitely.

You don't count beehives and anthills as their own societies
or social conglomerates? The workers own and share production.
There are some higher ranked queens more important for the survival of the colony.
Is that what you are saying makes it not count as 100% classless / equal ownership?
But it is still socialistic don't you think, Mr. H. ?
All the bees or ants share the responsibility for the entire colony?

Gosh darn, you are a crackerjack.

You have hereby earned one (count it, 1) Brotch Slap.

 

[amrchaos]

Socialism is like wanting to share costs of the household
as long as more people are doing the harder work and paying for most of it
while the underlings can tag along and have a security net.

This works as long as people listen to each other,
and the group "doesn't get too big."

Where it gets out of hand is when the group grows larger
than can be managed. Then it becomes a fight over
"who is giving more and should have more say in the rules and decisions"
versus who is tagging along and needs to listen and follow the other leaders
until they are the ones contributing and in charge and have earned equal say.

Very similar to the stages in capitalism.
First the management group hires and trains the workers
to work out a production plan, until the company grows so
big that it has to reorganize. If there are more people than the
structure can accommodate, then the power of decisions concentrated
in the management at the top can't represent the concerns of all the workers
and it gets out of balance.

In both cases, there needs to be a tiered structure of training workers
or followers at the bottom to become middle and upper management
so that as the group grows, the people grow with it and take on greater responsibility
so they eventually train to become team leaders of their own depts and eventually their own companies.

I think the true first stage in a start-up is the worker/owner stage.

That is, the workers are the owners. I think this relationship can be maintained as the business grows. That maybe an interesting approach to workers/co-ops.

 

[Socialist]

I have these in my signature, didn't know you posted this.

 

[longknife]