Socialism

5203 readers

2 users here now

Rules TBD.

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Question about ownership of the means of production (self.socialism)

submitted 6 months ago by knitwitt to c/[email protected]

26 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Howdy! I'm new here and was hoping someone might have some insight to a question I've been thinking about for a while:

If I saved up my money and bought a tractor, would it be permissible/ethical to charge others to use it when I didn't need it?

This seems awfully similar to owning the means of production. What if I instead offered to plow their fields for them instead, driving the tractor myself and negotiating fair compensation in exchange?

Sorry if this is basic stuff I'm still learning. 🙏

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Indeed. Marx is actually very careful in distinguishing personal property (your toothbrush, your bed) from the means of production (a tractor, a lathe, a factory). If it were a society where it's needed to have a car then it would probably be your own, but it'd be better for everyone if the public infrastructure (that belongs to the community) made it so cars aren't a requirement.