lindsey german "why you should be a socialist" Part 1 of 3

Lindsey German addresses Tower Hamlets SWP meeting

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• SWP
• Socialism
• Lindsey
• German
• Tower
• Hamlets
• socialist
• workers
• party

[SpunkOnSchoolUniform]

@DonaldNice100 As long as the corporations have competitors, we the consumers have certain powers. Apple, although a corporation, is held with great esteem amongst many on the Left as it eats into Microsoft's power, and helps to keep prices down/standards up. I am actually more concerned about my taxes being forcibly taken from me to shore up failing corporations. Why are they failing? Not satisfying the customers properly. If I don't want to give them my money, that should be my choice!

[DonaldNice100]

@SpunkOnSchoolUniform Im not American either, but the founding fathers are to be admired, ironically they were far more ideologically advanced than any of their inheritors. The birth of globalism will almost certainly give rise to frighteningly powerful monopolies. We have already seen, this century, corporations more powerful than governments. It is in a dark direction that we are now headed!

[SpunkOnSchoolUniform]

@DonaldNice100 That's a very astute point. And George Washington (as well as Thomas Jefferson) are held in regard very highly by myself too. I'm not American, but I wish the USA could reduce the size, scope and power of its government back to the early days. When you have lots of government, industrialists and tycoons invariably try to take it over. Without the state exherting power, they have no means to do so. As a result, monopolies are less likely to form; indeed, virtually impossible.

[DonaldNice100]

@SpunkOnSchoolUniform Amen, it is we that are flawed, corruption will eventually destroy any ideology no matter how well-conceived! What you fight for today, your sons take for granted. George Washington said there should be a revolution under any society every 3 generations because he could see this inherent corruption. We humans are greedy and obsessed by fear and driven by instinct which tells us to take everything we can regardless of the consequences for ourselves or others.

[SpunkOnSchoolUniform]

@DonaldNice100 Thanks- although I don't think that we're too different generally. We both don't like Corporatism, but I'd argue that this is often the result of government action, and either deliberate or accidental decisions by politicians which give large companies powers over smaller ones, or cause small businesses to close down. But I don't think a Utopia can exist either in Socialism or a Free Market; as humans we're too flawed inherently. We just have to get by the best we can.

[DonaldNice100]

@SpunkOnSchoolUniform I am glad to have a discussion that is civilised although in almost direct opposition (must be a Youtube first!) Socialism has it's failings and it's redeeming features, as does capitalism, but it just seems to me that the intrinsic values of socialism are far more fair. If someone is born more intelligent than his neighbour, that shouldn't give him the right to be his ruler. It is debate far older than either of us, perhaps there will one day be a perfect ideology!

[SpunkOnSchoolUniform]

@DonaldNice100 Yes; I dislike the current system probably as much as yourself, despite our political/economic differences. I wish we had proper Capitalism, not Corporatism. Big businesses and banks should not be bailed out by the taxpayers. It encourages profligacy and waste. Capitalism should encourage effiency, because waste results in less profit. Of course banks will behave recklessly if they know they'll be bailed out! It angers me as much as anyone.

[DonaldNice100]

@SpunkOnSchoolUniform This would surely be unnecessary if the companies are state owned, for income from taxes would be able to offset losses, under capitalism, doesn't the self-employed business owner have to take on his own losses? Why is it that global corporations do not? Surely this is capitalism for the masses and socialism for the elite? Only 2 FTSE100 companies pay any tax at all, how is this just? Why is it that people like Rupert Murdoch pay less tax than me or you?

[DonaldNice100]

@SpunkOnSchoolUniform People should be paid relative to their workload and abilities, you can't claim that Capitalism is truly meritocratic, it is utterly inequal and actively encourages exploitation. Capitalism is socially corrosive and moves all wealth to a smaller and smaller elite over time. If we have learned anything over the last decade it is that capitalism cannot last as a permanent ideology, hence why it needs socialism to patch it up (failed private finance rescued with public funds)

[SpunkOnSchoolUniform]

@DonaldNice100 Yes, I agree that the idea of the entire economy being government-run is extremely impractical; I'd say, impossible. No central authority could have all the information needed to allocate resources efficiently. However, regarding your suggestion of state-owned institutions; how much would you pay the people who were in charge of running them?