this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2023
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Hi all,

I'm seeing a lot of hate for capitalism here, and I'm wondering why that is and what the rationale behind it is. I'm pretty pro-capitalism myself, so I want to see the logic on the other side of the fence.

If this isn't the right forum for a political/economic discussion-- I'm happy to take this somewhere else.

Cheers!

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[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'd argue it should be the default position.

Why should I respect this elaborate system of property rights that was largely built by and for terrible human beings who actively sought to tyrannize others for their own gain?

How much of the wealth held today can be traced back to morally illegitimate if not outright criminal beginnings?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (2 children)

To be fair that's kind of what has happened with communism in the past too.

I don't think the problem is any system it's the human nature that causes us to make those systems in the first place. The ideal system is anarchy and everyone just agrees to get along and share but that's unfortunately impossible

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Technically speaking, Marxist idea of communism is a system where everyone just agrees to get along and share. The goal of communism and anarchism is largely the same, the differences are in how to reach that goal. Anarchists believe class struggles can be solved without a state apparatus while communists believe state apparatus will wither away on its own once the class struggle has been solved. In both cases you end up in a classless and stateless system where people just get along.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

That's the dream of both systems. Historically one has had ulterior motives because of the horrible track record of the Bolsheviks. Spain and Russia's revolution itself, and then post war all spent time with the heavy hand of hierarchy dominating those under them. Trials, executions, and treachery. Constant propaganda and a total lack of comradery between the anarchists. George Orwell spoke of the constant push to present the anarchist militias as the problems in Spain. In Oppenheimer (didn't expect to read it here too) one person becomes an officer in the Spanish republican army and hears word that before his squad even started fighting there would be a cleansing of anarchist members of their group.

I'm not saying every attempt at Maxist Leninist communism is somehow going to turn into this but it does seem like the heavy hand of the state begs to be used to dominate.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Cool story. I don't respect the property claims of those authoritarian regimes, either.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

In what way is anarchism an authoritarian regime