Posted by Editorial Staff on January 06, 2009 at 12:09:55:
In Reply to: Re: Who will fix the machines? posted by Curious on January 06, 2009 at 09:47:05:
The cost of "fixing the machines" now, under capitalism
comes out of the surplus value produced by the working
class and that the capitalist class expropriates. Now the capitalist is compelled to "fix the machine", or lose out to his competitors. In an economic democracy there is no profit (surplus value) so the "cost" of the repair would be taken out of the "total social wealth produced", just as all our other social needs would be. These decisions would be determined by us in our democratic councils and coordinating commitees. Yes, we would pay taxes, deducted from our time voucher paychecks to pay for all socially necessary costs of goods and services, such as hospitals, infra-structure, broken machinery etc. The main idea to remember is we will not have the yoke of "profit and commodity production" to hold society back. And that we will have the democratic structure to determine how that "wealth" can best be used.
If the majority of the working class voted for "a new economic and social system" through our current representative system, we as a society would propose
a constitutional amendment (using the amendment clause)
to abolish all private ownership of the means of production and establish social ownership of said means. The private owners would not be compensated for
their losses, because their wealth was gained on the exploitation of the working class. They then could join
the working class and benefit in the fruits of a new society.