Posted by Editors on March 26, 2008 at 14:06:26:
What WE KNOW…about Capitalism ...
It can never be said often enough…, CAPITALISM is a very SIMPLE SYSTEM to UNDERSTAND…
WE KNOW the simple economics of capitalism goes like this: All that WE produce in goods and services is with tools WE DON’T OWN. The “tools” are owned by the dominant controllers of the corporations . These are our country’s richest capital ( money) investors who hire CEOs to govern and manage our society’s needed industries… The present laws give the owners (the capitalist class) of these tools (factories and service centers) the legal RIGHT to use the goods and services we make and provide in our work places, not necessarily for the well being of our people and our society, but for their own $$$ market and private profit purposes.., and for using us in this way, We are paid a WAGE.
WE KNOW,for millions of us, the WAGE is only enough to keep up with paying our living expenses , and sometimes a bit more…, or with higher wage incomes, more than the average income…, many have relatively greater access to the more costly recreational and cultural outlets.. But a higher income does not liberate people from their subservience to employer domination, and the market needs of capital investment …, all contributing to our inferior wage worker status. Our WAGE is the owner’s COST of our LABOR power, which is indispensable to the operation of corporate production.
WE KNOW that people who work for a minimum wage…, that is, a Government-established minimal amount of money required to be able to buy enough food, shelter and clothing to stay healthy enough to go back to work for another day…, were described quite clearly over 200 years ago by the second President of our United States, John Adams, at the 1787 Constitutional Convention:
”WHEN THE WORKERS ARE PAID IN RETURN FOR THEIR LABOR ONLY AS MUCH MONEY AS WILL BUY THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE, THEIR CONDITION IS IDENTICAL TO THAT OF A SLAVE. “
WE KNOW in the last century, before there was a “Minimum Wage” law…, during another of capitalism’s many failures to service our society…, the so-named “Great Depression” of the early 30’s, when millions of jobless Americans were losing their mortgaged homes (sound familiar?) and even those with jobs were struggling and fighting one another for the few, occasional jobs being advertised…, F.D.R, the then President…, repeatedly announced as his “ideal” for the workers, that they must receive a “living wage,” which is, the very thing described by John Adams as that afforded to a “slave.”
WE KNOW to question the progress made for democracy in our economic and civic lives …, and our being dependent on the corporate MARKET needs in order to earn the means for our subsistence… when we compare ourselves to those early days of Chattel SLAVERY, when the slave, the indispensable worker in all of the plantation’s operations…, was completely dependent for his existence on the Massa’s plantation needs.
WE KNOW our Labor power is purchased, bought, same as any other product or service on the market…, for whatever is the going rate, depending on how needed are our skills at any given time, and depending on the markets in which our labor power is sold.
WE KNOW when there is a great demand for a product on the market…, take “ automobile production” as an example…, and auto assembly PEOPLE are in demand… If the LABOR MARKET IS SHORT ON ASSEMBLY LINE WORKERS..(That’s right…, the Labor Market , where PEOPLE ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD,much as were the African slaves in U.S. Colonial times, circa 1600... then the GMs compete with the Fords and the Chryslers, and and reluctantly pay higher wages
to get the “People Power” they need.
And the converse is also true.When there is an abundance of such human beings…, then OUR WAGE..., our “price” is lowered, We’re worth less to them…, because the WE,workers, like an abundance of corn in the super markets lowers the price of an ear..., our "price" goes down, and despite the fact that our living costs have not lessened..., We are always be forced to accept a lower wage simply to have a survival - necessary job.
WE KNOW from talking with neighbors and friends, that once We, the People, understand capitalism, we will begin to concern ourselves with reasons and ways We can,and must,transform this system to a genuine democracy in which “people power” is an everyday reality in our communities and where we use our many labor powers to contribute to our society’s needs and wants.
WE KNOW the only way we can legally and peacefully accomplish our goal is by discussing among ourselves…, with our neighbors and friends…, and the people with whom we work, to SHARE a sense of why our generations are always faced with economic turmoil , and periodic global wars …, and to begin to consider, and contribute to the ways presented on this PFANS site.., to organize to replace this autocratic, dictatorial system of capitalism with a genuine democracy …, in which We, the People, remove the disconnected politicians from our government…, and account to ourselves according to what We decide to be our social priorities…, our needs and wants.
That’s what WE KNOW. Now it’s YOUR turn!