THANKS for posting this----I hope every American starts to imagine the structure of work as Wolff envisions. He describes time spent with Silicon Valley entrepeneurs who walked on "the corporation" and did great as their own bosses. NO CEO's, NO Board of Directors, NO stockholders. Work Mon-Thurs and on Fridays decide together what next, how to spend the income. Sound good? I hope good things for Van Jones' "Rebuild the Dream" movement. Look it up! It's that or worse of what we have.
This is finally making it to my end of the world... SWFL. It is so heartening to hear an analysis that is at least 80% of my own. The good folks here are mostly sheeple. Smart ones, but still unaware that there was ever another way to live. I tell people constantly about the renters deduction to match the mortgage interest deduction; the 11% usury caps on credit cards that Pres Carter removed and never restored; how I got raises of 6 - 15% and paid off a car early as a college student.
I was just listening to someone making this same argument over dinner, on the necessary demise of Capitalism and rise of Marxian economics. He was wearing a very nice Rolex.
the idea is to work in a cooperative manner. everybody puts in their ideas together so that is empowerment for all... let's say there are 20 employees in a company and everybody makes an input, more likely, there is a facilitator, but not a boss.... that is a system of communal. they are communist... that's the system in a small setting. no boss, no one is above or below... and earnings are shared equally. not bad...
My thinking exactly. The biggest problem supporters of capitalism fail to see is that they fail to realize that a group can solve problems and make decisions better than any individual can. They realize it in arguing for a market vs. central planning, and democracy vs. dictatorship, but they don't seem to make the next logical step and apply it to the structure of the workplace.
"what he and [others] propose is simply to transfer the wrongness embroiled in the capitalist system simply be transfered to the government."
Not true: you're thinking of social democrats (who sometimes call themselves 'socialist') This guy is for workplace democracy. For workers and for communities to democratically run not just factories but the entire economy from the ground up. That's entirely different (which is why people with similar ideas,like Chomsky were BANNED by the Soviet Union.
(continued) Google "workplace democracy" and google "participatory economics" for more background. Also Mondragon, although that is a weak and only partial form. Also 1991 book by Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel, "Looking forward: participatory economics for the twenty first century" as an alternative to the two other (rather similar, when you dig deep) systems of (corporate style) capitalism and (Bolshevic/USSR style) communism - a bottom-up and democratic alternative to centralization
i am celebrating the fact that the evil, preemptive striker, greedy, arrogent, supporter of dictators, anit democracy, u.s. empire is in a dive twards the toilet shit hole that they belong in
As a person who believes in rational thought, it amazes me that this man, obviously extremely intelligent and well spoken, can not see( or likely masks) the truth. What he and the other elite socialists propose is simply to transfer the wrongness embroiled in the capitalist system simply be transfered to the government. When is the last time anyone EVER heard of an omnipotent Gov. respecting the rights of individuals or caring a wit about their station in life?
In every system, including the freemarket system, there will be winners and losers. Yes, even in every socialist sytem ever devised or tried. Look at history, I didn't make it up. The question is, what delivers the most positve results to the largest number of people/ Obviously freemarket economics,with all its warts is the winner of that contest. To trensfer the economy from freemarket controll( that's the consumer btw) to gov is not only dumb but dangerous.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Why in hell would you take( by force) the economic structure from freemen producing what their market calls for at a price the markets agree upon and give it to Gov. At least if you disagree with a corporation on some level, you can take your business else where or quit. Corporations don't have guns and prisons, government has both. If gov gets out of hand and becomes tyrannical, where do you go from there? A bloody revolution or serfdom is at hand then.
"The workers run the company..." O.K., then who decides who does what and when and for how long? Somebody has to be the boss. Somebody has to care what happens to the co. Somebody has to care what the consumer is getting in the way of quality,etc. I've met few "workers" in my life who care very much what happens once the product gets out the door or how much the company spends to stay in business. Unmotivated workers don't care about anything beyond who is on survivor or their next beer.
I hear what you're saying, though I don't necessarily agree in toto. I have lived in both the US and Canada. The US is living under corporatism, for all that I can see. "Freemarket" is as much a false utopia as "communism" ever was. Canada has more socialist leanings than the US, but they're faring far better, especially considering the world economic crisis. And yet they haven't given up their 'freedom' or power. Socialism is seen as the bogeyman, but a mix of many systems if more healthy. IMO
Who decides who does what and for how long? How about workers deciding it together? You know, like people do in most informal work situations, and like workers do in cooperatives that do exist, and like people in Argentina spontaneously did when they took over factories after the Argentinian economic breakdown at the start of this decade.
Every man for himself would probably yield bad results, but when workers as a group are the owners, handle the profit and have to organize, they take it up.
a transition to a socialist country would not be that hard, first, set up a welfare state comparable to Western Europe, then turn every business in America to a worker run company and still have the market. It wont be a Communism of the USSR where the state owns everything and the people are slaves. You say Gov. is bad, but is it worse than people who are not elected at all by the people, who run the vast majority of the economy
@rring88 Welfare states like Western Europe. How's that working out for them? Here in Australia all social programs like health, public schools etc are a complete mess.
I've seen this video in my sociology class in college and didn't think too much of it, but after thinking about it for a while I decided to watch it again. This guy might be onto something. If it's possible, it should be done. Thanks for posting this. I appreciate it.
I'm good. Busy getting all the stuff from Left Forum posted. Wolff gave, by far, the best speech at the opening plenary. In fact it's doubtful I'll ever post the rest of the speeches given.
They were pretty bad and way too long. If you're interested I'll post them. I just didn't think they were very radical or very interesting: lots of reading.
I AM A SOCIALIST AND I AM PROUD
inrrivas 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
excellent speech!
adelle0001 3 months ago
THANKS for posting this----I hope every American starts to imagine the structure of work as Wolff envisions. He describes time spent with Silicon Valley entrepeneurs who walked on "the corporation" and did great as their own bosses. NO CEO's, NO Board of Directors, NO stockholders. Work Mon-Thurs and on Fridays decide together what next, how to spend the income. Sound good? I hope good things for Van Jones' "Rebuild the Dream" movement. Look it up! It's that or worse of what we have.
37Dionysos 8 months ago
This is finally making it to my end of the world... SWFL. It is so heartening to hear an analysis that is at least 80% of my own. The good folks here are mostly sheeple. Smart ones, but still unaware that there was ever another way to live. I tell people constantly about the renters deduction to match the mortgage interest deduction; the 11% usury caps on credit cards that Pres Carter removed and never restored; how I got raises of 6 - 15% and paid off a car early as a college student.
DIMOJABE 1 year ago
I was just listening to someone making this same argument over dinner, on the necessary demise of Capitalism and rise of Marxian economics. He was wearing a very nice Rolex.
courtesyZone 1 year ago
Zeitgeist movement gets my vote but this is a step in the good direction.
numbakull 1 year ago
the idea is to work in a cooperative manner. everybody puts in their ideas together so that is empowerment for all... let's say there are 20 employees in a company and everybody makes an input, more likely, there is a facilitator, but not a boss.... that is a system of communal. they are communist... that's the system in a small setting. no boss, no one is above or below... and earnings are shared equally. not bad...
maalat 2 years ago
@maalat
My thinking exactly. The biggest problem supporters of capitalism fail to see is that they fail to realize that a group can solve problems and make decisions better than any individual can. They realize it in arguing for a market vs. central planning, and democracy vs. dictatorship, but they don't seem to make the next logical step and apply it to the structure of the workplace.
Thesterness 1 year ago
"what he and [others] propose is simply to transfer the wrongness embroiled in the capitalist system simply be transfered to the government."
Not true: you're thinking of social democrats (who sometimes call themselves 'socialist') This guy is for workplace democracy. For workers and for communities to democratically run not just factories but the entire economy from the ground up. That's entirely different (which is why people with similar ideas,like Chomsky were BANNED by the Soviet Union.
econdemocracy 2 years ago
(continued) Google "workplace democracy" and google "participatory economics" for more background. Also Mondragon, although that is a weak and only partial form. Also 1991 book by Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel, "Looking forward: participatory economics for the twenty first century" as an alternative to the two other (rather similar, when you dig deep) systems of (corporate style) capitalism and (Bolshevic/USSR style) communism - a bottom-up and democratic alternative to centralization
econdemocracy 2 years ago
Does this guy think the current financial crisis is caused by real wages not increasing?
Somebody please explain b/c i missed it in all his anticapitalist bitching.
poolshark73185 2 years ago
Dick Cheney talking about socialism?? Wow, what a turnaround!!
jumpnjza2 2 years ago 2
LOL
TripleEvent 2 years ago
Is his last name "Wolf" or "Wolff" with two 'f's at the end?
BayerLexan 2 years ago
Thanks for posting this :)
TheNomadicMonad 2 years ago
i am celebrating the fact that the evil, preemptive striker, greedy, arrogent, supporter of dictators, anit democracy, u.s. empire is in a dive twards the toilet shit hole that they belong in
kirtokosseamrica 2 years ago 6
He's an excellent public speaker. Good points. Socialism is so taboo, and it's heady to hear someone intelligent and sage speak about it rationally.
ShadesofScorpius 2 years ago 7
As a person who believes in rational thought, it amazes me that this man, obviously extremely intelligent and well spoken, can not see( or likely masks) the truth. What he and the other elite socialists propose is simply to transfer the wrongness embroiled in the capitalist system simply be transfered to the government. When is the last time anyone EVER heard of an omnipotent Gov. respecting the rights of individuals or caring a wit about their station in life?
usafaux102 2 years ago
In every system, including the freemarket system, there will be winners and losers. Yes, even in every socialist sytem ever devised or tried. Look at history, I didn't make it up. The question is, what delivers the most positve results to the largest number of people/ Obviously freemarket economics,with all its warts is the winner of that contest. To trensfer the economy from freemarket controll( that's the consumer btw) to gov is not only dumb but dangerous.
usafaux102 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Why in hell would you take( by force) the economic structure from freemen producing what their market calls for at a price the markets agree upon and give it to Gov. At least if you disagree with a corporation on some level, you can take your business else where or quit. Corporations don't have guns and prisons, government has both. If gov gets out of hand and becomes tyrannical, where do you go from there? A bloody revolution or serfdom is at hand then.
usafaux102 2 years ago
"The workers run the company..." O.K., then who decides who does what and when and for how long? Somebody has to be the boss. Somebody has to care what happens to the co. Somebody has to care what the consumer is getting in the way of quality,etc. I've met few "workers" in my life who care very much what happens once the product gets out the door or how much the company spends to stay in business. Unmotivated workers don't care about anything beyond who is on survivor or their next beer.
usafaux102 2 years ago
I hear what you're saying, though I don't necessarily agree in toto. I have lived in both the US and Canada. The US is living under corporatism, for all that I can see. "Freemarket" is as much a false utopia as "communism" ever was. Canada has more socialist leanings than the US, but they're faring far better, especially considering the world economic crisis. And yet they haven't given up their 'freedom' or power. Socialism is seen as the bogeyman, but a mix of many systems if more healthy. IMO
ShadesofScorpius 2 years ago
Who decides who does what and for how long? How about workers deciding it together? You know, like people do in most informal work situations, and like workers do in cooperatives that do exist, and like people in Argentina spontaneously did when they took over factories after the Argentinian economic breakdown at the start of this decade.
Every man for himself would probably yield bad results, but when workers as a group are the owners, handle the profit and have to organize, they take it up.
Rykemasters 1 year ago
a transition to a socialist country would not be that hard, first, set up a welfare state comparable to Western Europe, then turn every business in America to a worker run company and still have the market. It wont be a Communism of the USSR where the state owns everything and the people are slaves. You say Gov. is bad, but is it worse than people who are not elected at all by the people, who run the vast majority of the economy
rring88 2 years ago 3
@rring88 Welfare states like Western Europe. How's that working out for them? Here in Australia all social programs like health, public schools etc are a complete mess.
AussieAustrianBlog 1 year ago
I've seen this video in my sociology class in college and didn't think too much of it, but after thinking about it for a while I decided to watch it again. This guy might be onto something. If it's possible, it should be done. Thanks for posting this. I appreciate it.
juss4me1234 2 years ago 2
wolff is great he always gives this speech i would like to know more from him on greater detail about this capitalist system in america
ryler05 2 years ago
Re: Workers running the workplace
Have you seen Naomi Klein's/ Avi Lewis' "THE TAKE"? I urge you that you do.
byemef 2 years ago
Yeah I missed the extra F.
buddhagem 2 years ago
nice to see wolf(f?) here buddhagem! One of my favourite economists. How are you doing?
sickliberal 2 years ago
I'm good. Busy getting all the stuff from Left Forum posted. Wolff gave, by far, the best speech at the opening plenary. In fact it's doubtful I'll ever post the rest of the speeches given.
buddhagem 2 years ago
Did you film this yourself?
sickliberal 2 years ago 2
Yes. I filmed all of the Left Forum/Anarchist Book Fair stuff you'll see on my channel.
buddhagem 2 years ago
Aww.. thats sad... thanx for these videos though! :)
Rockerboy2007 2 years ago
They were pretty bad and way too long. If you're interested I'll post them. I just didn't think they were very radical or very interesting: lots of reading.
buddhagem 2 years ago