[Reatclaplen]

I'm no fan of Marxism, or Marx himself.. But I also know that it's almost always a mistake to dismiss men of tremendous influence out of hand. People who achieve greatness are always worthy of study. Even if the lessons we learn are what NOT TO DO.

It's a mistake with Hitler, Reagan (The left simply dismisses him, his ideas and his influence) Trotsky, Stalin, etc, etc. .

In this context, I would like to ask you about something Marx wrote.

(Paraphrasing) He drew parallels between industries and how they would fare in the aggregate under various economic circumstances.. For example, how a particular action might disparately affect renters, farmers, importers, workers and manufactures.

The trend now is to educate-educate-educate. Educate yourself out of the lower economic strata and into the upper... Because, as everyone knows, the lower rung is forced to compete with a nearly infinite supply of "workers" (I hate that word, btw) from countries with a standard of living much lower than our own. Which, given even similar rates of productivity, is impossible.

Now again, conventional wisdom says if you educate yourself out of this class and into a higher one, that you will avoid any negative repercussions from this... and you will reap the benefits of cheap goods from abroad. So you win.

However, based on some of his writings, Marx might well claim that this will have a negative effect on the upper classes as well.. as they become smaller, more crowded and less exclusive, pulling down wages and opportunities down for everyone.

Because, after all.. Not everyone can be a professor. If everyone were, it would pay nothing at all and essentially mirror the same problem faced by the lower economic classes - Unlimited competition for an ever dwindling number of jobs. Basically, a lack of scarcity.

Was he correct in this and to what extent?

And why?

Also: Are you aware of his position on Free Trade and why he took it?

[Jellowstrom]

I think it comes down to what produces wealth. Do a lot of people sitting around, pushing paper really produce wealth? It is hard to see how that could really be true. Does a paper mill produce something? Yes, paper!

[juptVatoSoito]

I think it comes down to what produces wealth. Do a lot of people sitting around, pushing paper really produce wealth? It is hard to see how that could really be true. Does a paper mill produce something? Yes, paper!

Well, it depends.. If the papers are designs for a new device, then the engineering must precede the production. So in that sense they are the foundation from which wealth will be built and no wealth can be created except that it progress from the paper stages to the actual.

OTOH, if you mean idiots in DC putzing around, no.. They are destroyers of wealth.

[Indian Butt Magic]

When advertisers tempt people into poor health habits and a whole industry sprouts up around pushing bogus health bettering goods on them and the medical industry responds by selling them as much pills and surgeries as they can justify to an insurance company or get them to pay for out of thier own pocket, instead of teaching them, just as aggressively, good health habits, it would seem like that makes America weaker, not stronger. So, in that regard, "The Free Market," seems not just like a failure, but a monster.

[herawaq]

Well, it depends.. If the papers are designs for a new device, then the engineering must precede the production. So in that sense they are the foundation from which wealth will be built and no wealth can be created except that it progress from the paper stages to the actual.

OTOH, if you mean idiots in DC putzing around, no.. They are destroyers of wealth.

That latter is the kind of thing I meant. No, smart people doing real work is good.

[espabamar]

the rich can not be supported with a poor class.

It is the working people that do everything. If they suffer the whole nation suffers.

[Kokomoxddcvcv]

HIGH TAXES AND OVER-REGULATION HURT WORKING PEOPLE MOST.

[SeLvesTr]

the rich can not be supported with a poor class.

It is the working people that do everything. If they suffer the whole nation suffers.

They are/directly support, 95% of The Nation. If their interests "do not matter," then The Nation Does Not Matter and I cannot accept that.

[Dvjkefdw]

Marx was clever in a way, no doubts.

Marx claimed that man is greedy, just like water is wet....man is greedy. Religion aside, man is just 'greedy'. And a greedy man wants more. As Jhoffa put it 'Not everyone can be a professor'.....There is only so much room at the 'top' so to say. And marx based 99% of his writings on such a doctrine.

His ideas fall short, because he doesn't take into account that MANY people do have a belief in God, or country, or family, and they place that belief above their greed.

Not everyone wants to be a professor...many are happy just living within their 'calling', for lack of a better word.

So no. Marx's ideas were flawed from his conception of them. He's right on a couple points....much like a broken clock is though.

IMO.

[O25YtQnn]

Materialism doesn't even work for Abbot and Costello


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYFkuWhkeE0

[GenrieAB]

In regards to the opening post, that sounds like you are paraphrasing Basic Supply and Demand and why anyone would think that doesn't work is beyond me. Although, I wouldn't be surprised in Modern Day Keynsians don't

[petrarkaponye]

MOST MARXISTS/COMMUNISTS MOVE TO LOCK DOWN ANY COUNTRY THEY GET CONTROL OF. THEY DON'T DO MUCH TRADING WITH ANYONE, BUT THEY DO ALLOW THE U.S. TO FEED THEM... SO THAT WHATEVER ECONOMIC OUTPUT THEY SUCCEED IN SQUEEZING OUT OF THE POPULACE CAN GO ENTIRELY INTO MAINTAINING THE TYRANY.

[SaamanthaSterlyng]

LUMMY: "MMMFFGPH GMMMPH URRGGH OINK!"

[egexgfczc]

MOST MARXISTS/COMMUNISTS MOVE TO LOCK DOWN ANY COUNTRY THEY GET CONTROL OF. THEY DON'T DO MUCH TRADING WITH ANYONE..

Not Karl.. He supported Free Trade.

He said the resultant fallout would hasten the revolution..

[CealialactBek]

DID RUSSIA EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM US?

[Dr.Hoodoba]

IN OTHER WORDS, HE HOPED TO FEED THE WORKERS TO THE BOSSES TO UNLEASH ANARCHY... WHICH HE HOPED TO EXPLOIT.

[HaseBeceDeemy]

IN OTHER WORDS, HE HOPED TO FEED THE WORKERS TO THE BOSSES TO UNLEASH ANARCHY... WHICH HE HOPED TO EXPLOIT.

Yeah.. He felt that the inequities that would arise would make his job easier.

[drugsprevi]

I THINK THAT IN THE U.S. CASE, AN EXCESS OF TAXATION AND REGULATION IS HURTING US FAR MORE THAN FREE TRADE.

EXCESSIVE AND EVER-GROWING TAXATION AND REGULATION ACT TO DESTROY OPPORTUNITY BY CRUSHING BUSINESS, AND THE DECAY IS AGGRAVATED BY THE REDUCTION IN CONSUMER PURCHASING POWER DUE TO TAX PREDATION ON INCOMES OF THOSE WHO DO WORK.

FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, PEOPLE WITH MONEY TO SPEND BUY NICE THINGS. THEY DO WANT VALUE FOR THEIR MONEY, THOUGH. A HIGH PRICE, ESPECIALLY AN ARTIFICIALLY INFLATED PRICE, HAS NO PARTICULAR APPEAL TO ANYONE.

[irresseni]

I CAN STILL AFFORD TO PAY TWO PRICES FOR A SET OF TIRES MADE IN THE U.S.A.

MANY AMERICANS JUST DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION ANYMORE.... BESIDES THE FACT THAT U.S.A PRODUCED TIRES ARE BECOMING QUITE SCARCE.

[JulieSmithdccd]

Well, I have a feeling we're going to find out if Marx is right or not.