Robert Reich813 US billionaires control a record $5.7 trillion in wealth.
The bottom 50% of Americans control $3.7 trillion in wealth.
When ~800 people control more wealth than half a countryโs population, we have a very serious problem.
xs4me2It is called unregulated capitalism. Of the kind inspired by Reaganomics. Shrink government until nothing but billionaires are left.
They have it in Europe too now, here we call it neoliberalism. The increasing gap between rich and poor and the shrinking of government have caused the rise of populism, the far right and new fascists.
And yes that is a problem. Clear and present danger.
๐ ๐ ๐งThat sounds very attractive, but in fact is not fully true. In a truly social democracy, appropriate taxes and state intervention can avoid this. This is what democratic institutions and ditto rule of law can accomplish.
In other words, tax the rich and the corporations.
In the Netherlands where I live, I am lucky that I earn enough to pay 55% of income tax, and that is a privilege and solidarity in the end.
@xs4me2 @rbreich
Social democracy still operates within the confines of a capitalist system, where wealth and power remain concentrated in the hands of a few. Reliance on taxation alone doesn't address the fundamental flaws of capitalism, such as the exploitation of labor and the commodification of resources.
Social democracy still operates within the confines of a capitalist system, where wealth and power remain concentrated in the hands of a few. Reliance on taxation alone doesn't address the fundamental flaws of capitalism, such as the exploitation of labor and the commodification of resources.
Johan Zijlstra@Radical_EgoCom @xs4me2 @rbreich
What about monetary reform? Will that help?
@Radical_EgoCom @xs4me2 @rbreich
I agree. We also need solutions like โSimpolโ.
Here in Europe that still seems to work quite well. But the perverted influences of US are doing their best to kill it.
Ultimate state control is no solution either as communist experiments in the former USSR have shown. Neither the Chinese nor Korean alternatives where suppression of individuals is the norm.
To delegate the daily decisions for that and to avoid chaos and guarantee continuity we have something called (federal) parliamentary democracy.
And an operational government, elected by the people.
In Europe it has been working quite well, in fact. Despite attacks by fascism. Neoliberalism is the current challenge.
Leiya@Radical_EgoCom @xs4me2 @rbreich even democratic socialism does that. Its what you're given to vote for; different flavours of capitalism, and if you don't vote you should feel bad and you're basically a nazi.
@TheBestLeiya @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
If you do not vote you are plain stupid. Certainly given given the current state of affairs in large parts of the democratic world.
They shall not pass! No pasaran, dammit.
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich I plan to not vote. Mostly because no party agrees with my core values. Also I'm dumb and depressed. ๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ
@TheBestLeiya @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
Not voting is voting for fascism. And that is the most stupid thing you can do.
I rest my case here...
@xs4me2 @TheBestLeiya @rbreich
I support voting, but it's black-and-white thinking to presume that not voting is equivalent to voting for fascism. Now, if someone refuses to vote and does nothing else, then that is stupid, but there are other ways for people to positively influence their community/country and counter fascism other than voting.
I support voting, but it's black-and-white thinking to presume that not voting is equivalent to voting for fascism. Now, if someone refuses to vote and does nothing else, then that is stupid, but there are other ways for people to positively influence their community/country and counter fascism other than voting.
@Radical_EgoCom @TheBestLeiya @rbreich
One should do both.
@Radical_EgoCom @xs4me2 @rbreich if there we're any parties that suited I would vote, but there isn't. The left is not left enough, communist parties aren't even putting up a fight. It's really just bollocks.
@TheBestLeiya @xs4me2 @rbreich
You're an anarchist, I presume. There's never going to be a party that you agree with, and it's the same with me. You essentially have two viable options that I know of. You could either vote for a party that most aligns with your core political values, or if you choose not to vote, you can advocate for and/or engage in grassroots organizing, direct action, and community building to challenge systemic injustices and create meaningful change from the ground up.
You're an anarchist, I presume. There's never going to be a party that you agree with, and it's the same with me. You essentially have two viable options that I know of. You could either vote for a party that most aligns with your core political values, or if you choose not to vote, you can advocate for and/or engage in grassroots organizing, direct action, and community building to challenge systemic injustices and create meaningful change from the ground up.
@Radical_EgoCom @xs4me2 @rbreich well.. I AM highly engaged and active in my community. I'm just not voting.
@TheBestLeiya @xs4me2 @rbreich
Then keep doing that. When it comes to fascism specifically, I feel that creating anti-fascist groups to deal with fascist and scare them from your community is far more effective than anything any politician has done in my country, a la Battle of Cabel Street.
Then keep doing that. When it comes to fascism specifically, I feel that creating anti-fascist groups to deal with fascist and scare them from your community is far more effective than anything any politician has done in my country, a la Battle of Cabel Street.
@TheBestLeiya @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
The good thing about a democracy is that you are free to say and do what you want. It is your own choice. Just realize that this is a luxury not everybody in this world has.
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich the shameing again. If I need to be peer pressured into voting is it really any different from North Korea. Screw your election. Screw you politicians. Screw the overlords. Fuck this shit.
@TheBestLeiya @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
Haha, you can say whatever you want. And I will vote so you will be able to!
@TheBestLeiya @xs4me2 @rbreich
Don't be pressured into participating in a system you don't believe in. There are many ways to change society and fight against injustice, and some of those ways are more effective than voting.
Don't be pressured into participating in a system you don't believe in. There are many ways to change society and fight against injustice, and some of those ways are more effective than voting.
Aelle@Radical_EgoCom @TheBestLeiya @xs4me2 @rbreich yeah, becoming a recluse is one of them. Because literally ALL our interactions with others involve some kind of participation in the system we hate. Example: going to visit someone we will spend 'quality time' with: we have to use the public transport.
@Elena @Radical_EgoCom @xs4me2 @rbreich you're right. Ofc life is social. I don't think the bus has authority over me...
@TheBestLeiya @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
But what else are you into then?
punIssuer@TheBestLeiya I don't get it. If you can only vote between making capitalism slightly worse and making it much worse, with not voting increasing the chance it's going to be "much", what would be the logical option?
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
@punissuer @xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich on s personal level there's maybe 1 party that would make my life not worse. I disagree with them on other terms that are important to me but doesn't directly affect me. So for me there's 2 options, voting for a party that I don't agree with, or not voting. I chose to not vote. I will no longer be a part of a system that I don't believe in.
@TheBestLeiya so you increase the likelihood of being governed by the party making your life worse while still staying part of this country and its society. Not trying to influence the steering wheel doesn't get you off the bus
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
@xs4me2 @punissuer @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich if you really gets this upset about me not voting then you're not gonna like what I think what we should do with borders, money, politicians, prisons, the rich, private property, and cops. ๐ฌ Oh dear. Your poor liberal heart is gonna break.
@punissuer @xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich I can't vote to get off the bus or eliminate the bus. I can't vote for me getting my own bus and drive that around. I can only vote for other drivers. That doesn't matter when the issue is the bus itself. We can't go new places, only within the same area. So it's a no from me, dawg. I don't even want to tell you what to do, that's up to you. So go vote or something, digga.
@TheBestLeiya what in trying to say is, by all means, try to get off the bus. But until you manage to, it might be worthwhile to try to get the bus to go any other direction than the exact opposite you wanna go to.
Does that make any sense?
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
Does that make any sense?
@xs4me2 @Radical_EgoCom @rbreich
@Radical_EgoCom if there's one very and one somewhat fascist party to vote for, and enough people not voting leading to a victory of the very fascist one, then that's the same result as voting for fascism, is it not?
@xs4me2 @TheBestLeiya @rbreich
@xs4me2 @TheBestLeiya @rbreich