@FantasticalEconomics @rauder @turtle_green so what you're saying is that it's better to change from lead ammunition in the machine gun to lead-free ammunition than to just stop shouting your friends, family and neighbourhood with it?
#Capitalism is what's doing the damage. Tinkering with isn't going to stop it doing the damage; destroying the planet is intrinsic to its operation. We need to stop using it.
@simon_brooke @FantasticalEconomics @turtle_green
Simon, want to point out that it is something more basic that is destroying the planet than “capitalism.”
The Soviet Union, aka communists, were terrible for the environment. China has done & is doing terrible things to the environment.
They got rid of capitalism & still mess up the planet. So I think it makes sense to focus on solving other problems than getting distracted by simply attacking #capitalism & hoping everything will be green.
@rauder @simon_brooke @FantasticalEconomics @turtle_green Correct!
It's perfectly possible for people to do massive environmental damage under just about any economic system. Greed is perfectly possible with capitalism...and communism, and socialism, etc. It's perfectly possible for people under ANY of these to do environmental damage for their own enrichment. Capitalism doesn't demand it, or "perpetual growth", any more than any others do, despite common (and loud) claims to the contrary.
@AlexanderKingsbury @rauder @simon_brooke @FantasticalEconomics @turtle_green
>>Capitalism doesn't demand it, or "perpetual growth", any more than any others do, despite common (and loud) claims to the contrary.<<
What other systems demand perpetual growth?
Sure, greedy people can do damage, system or no system. But capitalism by it's very essence demands growth and consumes resources in order to generate more capital. It exploits and encourages existing greed. The premises that capitalism is founded on were formulated by men who were incentivized to protect their wealth and power and to justify their subjugation and exploitation of people around the world.
@RD4Anarchy @AlexanderKingsbury @simon_brooke @FantasticalEconomics @turtle_green
#capitalism does not ‘require’ growth, but it does incentivize it.
2 points:
1, most small capitalistic businesses are ‘lifestyle businesses’ they generate enough profit to support an individual or family. Barbers, bakers, pharmacists, doctors, etc.
They do NOT require endless growth, problematic resource extraction nor violence.
2, You can grow and improve life without excessive resource extraction …
@FantasticalEconomics @RD4Anarchy @simon_brooke @AlexanderKingsbury @rauder @turtle_green
Capitalism *structurally* compels capitalists to continuously maximize their differential profits—ie, beat the average—or else be out-competed into bankruptcy and replaced by a capitalist who will.
This is a key structural contradiction of capitalism. Capitalists who maximize their differential profits—ie, capture more revenue than their competitors—can reinvest that income in expanding their differential advantage, which in turn enables them to capture more revenue. Capitalists who don’t pursue this maximization will lose market share to those who will and eventually cease being capitalists.
Simon Brooke
M.rauder
AKingsbury
RD
HeavenlyPossum