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**AlexBolduin** · 07-07-2008, 09:16 PM

Originally posted by Space05us
I'm about halfway through the first chapter, so far what I have read is all good praise for capitalism. When does it get to the "starve your own people in order to compel them to bend to your will" part? I thought Communists hated Capitalism.

It never really does. If you want to read a condemnation of capitalism, you should read Engel's, The Conditions of the Working Class of England in 1845. The Marxist critique of capitalism, however, does not reside in the oppression of the working class. That's a moral issue, and while moral issues are important, they won't be the basis of overturning a whole system of society.

Marxism's critique of capitalism lies in the fact that capitalism is inherently insane. In all previous systems, disasters were largely natural in cause (excepting war). Under capitalism, disasters occur because it is so productive. It is when capitalism is producing more than we need that people lose their jobs, go homeless, and starve.

At the same time, Marxism looks at the dynamic of history and sees that all social systems (and in fact, everything that exists in the universe) is transitory in nature, and changes into something different. Capitalism is no different, and so Marx examined capitalism to see what were the underlying mechanisms, what were the forces being developed, and to what would this lead in the future.

Everything that exists contains the seeds of its own destruction. Capitalism is no different. Marx identified that seed a the urban industrial proletariat. It's role with its hands on the means of production meant that it was in unique position to take control of production and to run society in its own interests, which, being the lowest class of all, would be the universal interests of the human race.

07-07-2008, 09:16 PM	#8
AlexBolduin Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 447 Senior Member	Originally posted by Space05us I'm about halfway through the first chapter, so far what I have read is all good praise for capitalism. When does it get to the "starve your own people in order to compel them to bend to your will" part? I thought Communists hated Capitalism. It never really does. If you want to read a condemnation of capitalism, you should read Engel's, The Conditions of the Working Class of England in 1845. The Marxist critique of capitalism, however, does not reside in the oppression of the working class. That's a moral issue, and while moral issues are important, they won't be the basis of overturning a whole system of society. Marxism's critique of capitalism lies in the fact that capitalism is inherently insane. In all previous systems, disasters were largely natural in cause (excepting war). Under capitalism, disasters occur because it is so productive. It is when capitalism is producing more than we need that people lose their jobs, go homeless, and starve. At the same time, Marxism looks at the dynamic of history and sees that all social systems (and in fact, everything that exists in the universe) is transitory in nature, and changes into something different. Capitalism is no different, and so Marx examined capitalism to see what were the underlying mechanisms, what were the forces being developed, and to what would this lead in the future. Everything that exists contains the seeds of its own destruction. Capitalism is no different. Marx identified that seed a the urban industrial proletariat. It's role with its hands on the means of production meant that it was in unique position to take control of production and to run society in its own interests, which, being the lowest class of all, would be the universal interests of the human race.
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