CAPKLW/NEG

Engels47

Since"capitalism"issooftendefinitionallyidentifiedwithaprivateproperty
marketeconomy,wemustgiveamoreprecisedefinitionof"capitalism"

sothat
wearenotjustarguingaboutdefinitions.

By"capitalism"wemeanproductionorganizedon
thebasisoftheemployeremployeerelationship
.

We
shal
l
alsouse"the
employmentsystem"or"employeremployeesystem"

ALinks1.
Wagelaboristheheartofcapitalism.Allcapitalistcoercionisgroundedinwagelabors
theftofvaluefromworkers.
Mitchell
:

Thewageisthecapitalistformofcoercion
.AsMariaMiesexplainsinherbook,

Thedevelopmentofthewage.

PatriarchyandAccumulationonaWorldScale,thewagereplacedserfandslaveownershipasthemethodtocoercealienatedlabor(meaninglaborthattheworkerdoesforsomeone

Undercapitalism
,thosewhoproduce
(workers)donotownthemeansof
production,sotheymus
t

goto
workforthosewhoownthemeansof
production

(capitalists).Workersmusttherefore[and]selltheonlythingtheyown,theirabilitytolabor,ortheirlaborpower,tothecapitalist.Thisiskeybecause
workersarenotpaidfortheirsensuouslivinglabor,theactofproducing,buttheabilitytolabor.
The
l
aborlabor
powersplitgives

riseto

the
appearanceofanequalexchangeofvalue

itappearsasthoughtheworkerispaidfortheamountofvaluesheproduces
else).

butinessencesheispaidonlyforherabilitytolaborforagivenperiodoftime.Furthermore,theworkingdayitselfissplitintotwoparts:necessarylabortimeandsurpluslabortime.
Necessarylabortimeisthetimeittakestheworker(onaverage)toproduceenoughvaluetobuyallthecommoditiesheneedstoreproducehimself(everythingfromhisdinnertohis
iPhone).Surpluslabortimeisthetimetheworkerworksbeyondthenecessarylabortime.Sincethegoingrateforlaborpower(again,ourcapacitytolabornotouractualliving
labor)isthevalueofallthecommoditiestheworkerneedstoreproduceherself,surpluslaborisvaluethatgoesstraightintothecapitalistspocket.Forexample,letssayIworkina

Thecapitalistisonlypaying
meformyabilitytowork

1houreachdaytoproduce
enoughvaluetoreproducemyself

(1
Furby=1hourslabor=$10).Somynecessarylabortimeis1hour,andthesurpluslabortimeIgivetothecapitalistis9hours(101).
Thewageobscures
thisfact.Recall

thatundercapitalism
,itappearsasthoughwearepaidtheequivalentvalueofwhatweproduce.But,inessence
,
weare
paidonly
f
orournecessarylabortime,or
theminimumamountweneedtoreproduce
ourselves
.
Thiswasdifferentunderfeudalismwhenitwasveryclearhowmuchtimehumansspentworkingforthemselves,andhowmuchtimetheyspentworkingfor
Furbyfactory.Igetpaid$10adaytowork10hours,Iproduce10Furbiesaday,andaFurbyisworth$10each.

someoneelse.Forexample,aserfmightspendfivehoursaweektillingthelandtoproducefoodforthefeudallord,andtherestofhertimewasherown.Thedevelopmentofthe
wageiskeybecauseitenforcedagendereddivisionoflabor.

2.Wagelaborssubordinatestheconsciouswillsuchthatourlivesbecomerevolvedaroundandrelianton
capitalism.
Mitchell2
:

Undercapitalism,thereisaseparationbetweenourlaborandourconsciouswill.WhenMarxsaysLifeitselfappearsonlyasameanstolife,heispointingtowardthiscontradiction.

Weengagein
thesameformoflabor

alldayeveryday,

andwereceiveawage
forthisactivityinordertoexchange

to
Asnotedabove,undercapitalism,laborisdivorcedfromthemeansofproductionsowemustworkforthosewhoownthemeansofproduction.

meetourneeds
.
Weproducevalueinordertoexchangefortheusevaluesweneedtosurvive.So
whatappearsunder
capitalismasameremeanstosatisfyourneeds
(work),

isinessencethe
activityoflifeitself
(labor).
Becauseofthisschismbetweenourlaborandour
consciouswill
,
our
labor
u
ndercapitalismisalienated,meaningit
isnotusedforourownenrichment
,
instead,
[but]wegiveitawaytothecapitalist
.Ourmultisidedlaborbecomesonesidedour
laboris
reducedtowork
.InTheGermanIdeology,Marxwrites,assoonasthedistributionoflabourcomesintobeing,eachmanhasaparticular,exclusivesphere
ofactivity,whichisforceduponhimandfromwhichhecannotescape.Heisahunter,afisherman,aherdsman,oracriticalcritic,andmustremainsoifhedoesnotwanttolosehis

wearerelegatedintoone
formoflaborinordertoexchangetomeetourneeds
.
Wearecallcenterworkers,hairstylists,nurses,
teachers,etc.
Thisonesidedness
,
asthepreconditionformeetingourneeds
,

isuniquetothecapitalistmode
ofproduction.
meansoflivelihood(53).Wearenotfullyenrichedhumanbeings,engaginginallformsoflaborwewishtoengagein,

Alsotakesoutthepermbecausetheaffismutuallyexclusivewitharesistingcap.
Wagelaboristhedefiningfeatureofthecapitalistsystem,sothepermis
impossible.ThisLivingwageisdecidinghowmuchweneedtoliveandthatisan
issuebecauseitisgivingapriceforanemployee'sserviceandthatcanleadto
incredibleimpactslikeoppression

invalidduetotheimpossibilityoftransferringlabor,thelawcanerectan
institutionalizedfraudtoaccountforthe"fulfillment"ofthecontract(i.e.,in
thepast,fortheslaverycontractand,currently,forthelaborcontract).

B.ImpactWagesystemstakeUnalienablerightsandcausesoppression(slavery)

Capitalismdestroysthemeaningofethicsusesethicalprescriptionsasameanstoafinancialend.
Morgareidge98,
Morgareidge98AssociateProfessorofPhilosophyatLewisandClarkCollege
(Clayton,WhyCapitalismisEvil,RadioActivePhilosophy,LewisandClarkEducationalPapers,

http://legacy.lclark.edu/~clayton/commentaries/evil.html

)
Well,whatisthefoundationofmorallife?Whatmakesitpossibleforhumanbeingstorecognizethattheyhaveresponsibilitiestoeachotherandtotheircommunities?For
example:WhatcouldpossiblymakeanyonewillingtopaylivingwagestoworkersinIndonesiaorHaitiifyoucangetthemtoworkforless?The18thCenturyphilosopher
DavidHumeasks,Whatreasoncananyonegivemetonottoprefertheannihilationofallmankindtoascratchonmyfinger?Humeisoneofmanyphilosopherswhoargue
thatnosuchreasoncanbegiven.Thismeansthatthefoundationofethicsliesnotinreason,butratherinourpassionsorourhearts.ForHumeitispartofournaturethat
wefeelsympathyforeachother,andthissympathycountersournarrowselfinterest.Otherphilosophershavetakensimilarpositions.JosiahRoyceanAmerican
philosopherofthelastcenturyarguedthatyoudonotreallyunderstandanotherpersonifyoudonotunderstandheraspirations,fears,andneeds.Buttounderstand
someone'sfeelingsis,inpart,tosharethem.Andyoucannotshareanaspirationoraneedwithoutwantingtoseeitfulfilled,norcanyoushareafearwithouthopingthatit
willnotcometopass.Sothemererecognitionofwhatotherhumanbeingsareinvolvesusinwantingtoseethemliveandprosper.TheFrenchJewishphilosopher

EmmanualLevinswhosemajorworkappearedin1961claimsthatethicsarisesintheexperienceofthefaceoftheother.Thehumanfacerevealsitscapacityforsuffering,
asufferingwearecapableofeitherinflictingoropposing.Sotolookintothefaceofanotherhumanbeingistoseethecommandment,Thoushaltnotkill.Another
Americanphilosopher,NelNoddings,inher1984bookCaring,arguesthattheethicalcommitmentarisesoutofthecaringresponsethatmostofusfeeltowardsthosewho,
likechildren,areinneed.Mostparentsencouragethiscaringresponseintheirchildren,withtheresultthatwegrowupwithaninterestincultivatingourowncapacityto

philosophers

arenaive:noneofthemthinksthatsympathy,love,orcaringdetermines
all,orevenmost,humanbehavior.The20thcenturyprovesotherwise.
Whattheydo
offer
,though,is
thehopethat
humanbeingshavethecapacitytowantthebestforeachother
.
Sonowwe
mustask,
Whatforcesareatworkinourworldtoblocko
rcripple
theethical
response
?
Thisquestion,ofcourse,bringsmebackto

capitalism
.
ButbeforeIgothere,Iwanttoacknowledgethatcapitalismisnottheonly
careforothers.
Nownoneofthese

thingthatblocksourabilitytocare.Exploitationandcrueltywerearoundlongbeforetheeconomicsystemofcapitalismcametobe,andthetemptationtouseandabuse

he
puttingtheworldat
thedisposalofthosewithcapitalhasdonemoredamagetotheethicallife
thananythingelse
.

Toputitinreligiousterms,capitalisthedevil.Toshowwhythisisthecase,letmeturntocapital'sgreatestcritic,KarlMarx.
Undercapitalism

,Marxwrites,
everythinginnatureand
everythingthathuman
beingsare
andcando
becomes
anobject:
aresource
for,oranobstacle,
totheexpansionofproduction,thedevelopmentoftechnology,the
growthofmarkets,andthecirculationofmoney.

Forthosewhomanageandlivefromcapital
,nothing
otherswillprobablysurviveinanyfuturesocietythatmightsupersedecapitalism.Nevertheless,Iwanttoclaim,
t

hasvalueofitsown.
Mountainstreams,cleanair,humanlivesallmeannothinginthemselves,butarevaluableonlyiftheycanbeusedtoturnaprofit.

[1

]If

capitallooksat(notinto)thehumanface,itseesthereonlyeyesthroughwhichbrandnamesandadvertisingcanenterandmouthsthatcandemandandconsumefood,
drink,andtobaccoproducts.Ifhumanfacesexpressneeds,theneitherproductscanbemanufacturedtomeet,orseemtomeet,thoseneeds,orelse,iftheneedsare
incompatiblewiththegrowthofcapital,thenthefacesexpressingthemmustbeunrepresentedorsilenced.Obviouslywhatcapitalistenterprisesdohaveconsequencesfor

Capitalprofitsfromtheproductionof
food,shelter,andall

thewellbeingofhumanbeingsandtheplanetweliveon.

thenecessitiesoflife
.Theproductionofallthesethingsuseshumanlivesintheshapeoflabor,aswellastheresourcesoftheearth.

Ifwe

careaboutlife,ifweseeourobligationsineachothersfaces,thenwehavetowantallthethingscapitaldoestobegovernedby

feedingpeopleisnottheaimofthefood
industry
,
orshelterthe
purposeofthe
housingindustry
.
Inmedicine,
makingprofitsisbecomingamoreimportantgoalthancaringforsick
people
.As
capitalistenterprises
these
activities
aimsinglemindedlyatthe
accumulationofcapital
,andsuchpurposesas

caringforthesickorfeedingthe
hungrybecomesa
mere
meanstoanend
,aninstrumentofcorporategrowth.
Therefore
ethics,theoverridingcommitmenttomeetinghumanneed,isleftoutof
deliberationsaboutwhatthe
heavyweight

institutionsofoursocietyaregoing
todo
.

Moralconvictionsareexpressedinchurches,inlivingrooms,inletterstotheeditor,sometimesevenbypoliticiansandwidelyreadcommentators,butalmost
thatcare,tobedirectedbytheethicalconcernforlife.But

alwayswithanattitudeofresignationtotheinevitable.Peoplenolongersay,"Youcan'tstopprogress,"butonlybecausetheyhavelearnednottocalleconomicgrowth
progress.Theystillthinktheycan'tstopit.Andtheyarerightaslongastheproductionofallourneedsandtheorganizationofourlaboriscarriedoutunderprivate
ownership.Onlyaminority("idealists")cantakeseriouslyawayofthinkingthatcountsfornothinginrealworlddecisionmaking.Onlywhentheendofcapitalismison
thetablewillethicshaveaseatatthetable.

Moralquestionswillinevitablybesubordinatedtocapitalism.Trainer96,
Trainer,96(Ted,UniversityofNewSouthWales,TowardsaSustainableEconomy,JonCarpenterOxfordPublishing,pages7980)


amajorproblemwithoureconomictheoryandpractice
isthattheyleavelittleplaceformorality
.Manyextremely
important
decisionsaffectingpeople'swelfarearemadewithoutreferencetowhat
wouldbemorallyacceptable.Theyaremadesolelyonthebasisofwhat
willmakemostmoney
.

Ithasbeenarguedabovethattherearemanyother,usuallymuchmoreimportantfactors,suchaswhatthings
TheneedforamoraleconomyClearly,

humansneed,whatdevelopmentswouldbuildbettercornrnunitiesandpoliticalsystems,whatwouldpreserveculturaluniqueness,andespeciallywhatwouldmaximise

ecologicalsustainability.
Decisionswhichmaximisereturnstoownersofcapitaloftenhaveadverseeffectsinseveralorall

oftheseareas,yetinoureconomythisfactorisallowedtodeterminewhatisdone.
Noothereconomicsystemhumanshaveever
developedhasfunctionedinthisway.Allpreviouseconomiesensuredthat'moral'factors,suchassocialcustomssettinga'justprice',werethemaindeterminantsof
economicactivity.Marketforcesandtheprofitmotiveweretypicallygivenlittleornorole.Ourpresenteconomicsystemandthetheorywhichunderliesitobscurethe

Theydeceiveusintoacceptinggrosslyinhumanconsequences
.

greatmiserytheycause
.

Severalsectionsofthisbookexplainhowoureconomicsystemisthemainfactorproducingthehungeranddeprivationsufferedbyhundredsofmillionsofpeople.Yetthis

wehavebeenledtobelievethatthemarketsystem
isnatural,efficientanddesirable,andthatit'rewardsfactorsof
productioninproportiontotheircontributions'.Thisprevailingideology
leadsmostpeople

tobelievethatwearenotexploitingtheThirdWorldandwearenot
causinghungerweareonlytrading

withthem,investinganddoingnormalbusiness.AsBookchinsays,'...ourpresent
economyisgrosslyimmoral
...

Theeconomistshaveliterally
"
demoralised"3usand

turnedusinto
moralcretins'
.ISimilarly,economictheoryclaimsthatwhenanitemb
ecomesscarceitspricerisesautomatically,asifthisisalawofnatureindependent
causalconnectionisnotwellunderstood,because

ofhumanwill.Infact,thepricerisesonlybecauseindividualsellerseagertomaximisetheirincomeputitupasquicklyastheycan.Oureconomictheoryobscuresthefact
thatitisnotscarcitybuthumangreedwhichmakespricesrise.Aboveall,economictheoryleadsustothinkthatthesupremelyimportantgoalisto'gettheeconomygoing',

Thefactthatthissiphonswealthtotherich,deprivesthepoor,
developsthewrongindustriesandintheThirdWorldstarvemillionsis
obscured.
tostimulategrowth.

KantianPhilosphybyC.Ellsworth
Hood,91

ProfessorofPhilosophyUniversityofWisconsin

Whatisapersonsuchthattobeoneistobeabeingofintrinsicworth?Kantsansweriseasilystated.

Rationalnature

possessesintrinsicworth,isanendititself,worthyofrespectandisneverto
beusedmerelyasameans
.
Butwhydoesrationalnaturecarrywithitintrinsicworthandthereforeinalienable
rights?Whatisthisrationalnaturewhichweaspersonsareandwhataretheconnectionsamongbeingrational,beingaperson
andpossessingintrinsicworthandthereforerights?Theanswerliesin
practicalreasonunderstoodas

moralautonomy,freedom,thepowerwherebythepersoniscapableof
determininghis/herowncharacter.
F
ootnote

Kant
speaksofthispowerastheabsolutespontaneityof
freedom.FootnoteThepointisemphasizedwhenhe

assertsthecompleteidentityofpractical
reasonandfreewill

theyarethesamething,hesays.
Certain
rightsareinalienablebecausetoactcontrarytothemwhetherinrelation
tooneselfortoanotheristoviolatedutyitistoviolateautonomy,freedomit
istoreducethepersontothing.
Or,expressedpositively,toactaccordingtoduty,torespectpersonsandto
actinawayconsistentwithinalienablerightsmeanthesamething.
Life,libertyandpursuitofhappiness
areinalienablebecausetheyareintrinsictotheworthoftheperson.Theyare
necessarytoautonomy,tofreedom,tothebeingofpersons.
T
herecanbe

noaction
whichviolatestheserightwhichdoesnotatthesametimeviolatetheperson,
reducethepersontoathing
Suchanorderwould,obviously,initsrespectfortheintrinsicworthofpersons,entailtheintrinsicrighttolifeand,since
personsareautonomy,freedom,theintrinsicrighttolibertyaswell.Italsoentailspursuitofhappinessforhappiness,Kantsays,
belongstopersonsasendsinthemselves.Why?Tobehappy,tohavelifemoveinafashionagreeabletoone,isentailedinthe
worthintrinsictopersonsassuch.Asarational,autonomousbeingthepersonhastherighttoselfdeterminationand
selfdirection.Asabeingofintrinsicworththepersonhasarighttohavethatselfsatisfactioncometoexpressionwithoutundue
frustration.Thereinlieshappiness.

Torespectthepersonis,inpart,tomakewayforthehappinessofwhichthepersonisworthy.
Happinessisacomponentofthehighestgoodanditisourdutyasrationaltoproducetheorderwhichisthathighestgood
.
We
donot,however,havesufficientphysicalmeanstoensurethathappiness,toensurethatallgoesaccordingtowishandwill.
Nevertheless,Kantsays,inthepracticaltaskofpurereason,i.e.,inthenecessaryendeavorafterthehighestgood,sucha
connectionispostulatedasnecessaryweshouldseektofurtherthehighestgood....FootnoteAsfiniterationalbeings
wehave
therighttobehappytotheextentweareworthyofhappiness,thatis,totheextentweexerciserationalautonomy,totheextentwe
actualizeourbeingaspersons.

Entailedinthatexerciseofautonomyistheduty,totheextentphysicallyinourpower,toproduce

anorderinwhichthosewhodeservehappinesscanattainit.Herewehavetheinalienablerighttopursuitofhappiness.

Thisshowshowtakingsomeonesright,itisalsotakingtheirfreedomandautonomy,andthatis
basicallytakinghumanworthfromthem,thisisimportantbecausemyopponentlinkedintothe
Kbyhavingasortofemployeeemployeragreementthatactuallyleavestheemployeewithtwo
decisionseitherdonthaveajoborbepaidalowerwagethandeserve,andthisleadstoanew
typeofslavery

Thevoluntaryslaverycontractandtheemployeremployeecontractapplied
thistransferablecommoditymodeltothelongtermandshortterm
"transfer"ofintentionalhumanactions.

Butthevoluntaryslave("warrantee")andtheemployeecannotin
facttaketheirwilloutoftheirintentionalactionssothattheycouldbe"employed"bythemasteroremployer
.
Theycanonly
agreetocooperatebyfollowingtheinstructionsofthemaster/employerorhis
agents.Insteadofrecognizingthesecontractsasinvalidduetothe

impossibilityoftransferringlabor,thelawcanerectaninstitutionalizedfraud
toaccountforthe"fulfillment"ofthecontract(i.e.,inthepast,fortheslavery
contractand,currently,forthelaborcontract).

FrederickEngels1847.ThePrinciplesofCommunism

Inwhatwaydoproletariansdifferfromslaves?

Theslaveissoldonceandforalltheproletarian(worker)mustsell
himselfdailyandhourly.
Theindividualslave,propertyofonemaster,isassuredanexistence,
howevermiserableitmaybe,becauseofthemastersinterest.The
individualproletarian,propertyasitwereoftheentirebourgeois
classwhichbuyshislaboronlywhensomeonehasneedofit,hasno
secureexistence.

Thisexistenceisassuredonlytotheclassasawhole.
Theslaveisoutsidecompetitiontheproletarianisinitandexperiencesallitsvagaries.
Theslavecountsasathing,notasamemberofsociety.Thus,theslavecanhaveabetterexistencethantheproletarian,whilethe
proletarianbelongstoahigherstageofsocialdevelopmentand,himself,standsonahighersociallevelthantheslave.

Theslavefreeshimselfwhen,ofalltherelationsofprivateproperty,
heabolishesonlytherelationofslaveryandtherebybecomesa
proletariantheproletariancanfreehimselfonlybyabolishingprivate
propertyingeneral.

Thisshows,howanytypeofwages,suchasthelivingwage,willactuallycreateaworsttypeof
oppression,sincethisworkershavetobasicallyrentthemselvestoemployersforaslongas
theyneedthem,showingthattheyalsohaveapossibilityoflosingthisjob,sotheonlywayto
actuallyhelpsocietyisbyusinganewsystem.

C.Alternative
:

Alternative:RejectionKey
Rejectingcapitalismisthefirststeparefusaltobelieveinthesystemcantoppleempires.Monbiot04,
Monbiot,04(GeorgeMonbiot,ProfessorofPhilosophyatBristolandProfessorofPoliticsatKeele.Author,columnist,andpoliticalactivist.ManifestoforaNewWorldOrder.p.249)

Itcostsnothingtoagreethatsomethingshouldbedone
indeedpeoplelikeushave
beenacceptingthispropositionfordecades,andwaitingforsomeoneelsetoactonit.Constitutional
change
willbeginonlywhenwereachthemoredangerousconclusionthat'I
mustact
'
.

Therehavebeenmanyoccasionsoverthepastfewyearsonwhichwehavewontheargumentandlostthewar.Thecampaignerswhohaveexposedthe
injusticesofthecurrentglobalsystemoftensucceedingeneratingawidespreaddemandforchange,andjustasoftendiscoverthatthisdemandhasnooutlet.Ouropinions,inthese
circumstances,countfornothinguntilweactuponthem.Untilwepresentadirectconstitutionalchallengetoitssurvival,or,throughsuchmeasuresasathreatenedconditional
default,alterthecircumstancesinwhichitoperates,thosewhomaintainthedictatorshipofvestedinterestswillreadwhatwewriteandlistentowhatwesaywithouttheslightest
senseofdanger.In1619,afterrecoilingfromthesatisfactionhefeltuponcompletingoneofhisrevolutionarypamphlets,GerrardWinstanleynoted'mymindwasnotatrest,because
nothingwasacted,and...wordsandwritingswereallnothing.andmustdie,foractionisthelifeofall,andifthoudostnotact,thoudostnothing'.Thismanifesto,andallthe
publicationslikeit,isworthlessunlessitprovokespeopletoaction.Thereareseveralreasonswhywedonotact.Inmostcases,thepersonalriskinvolvedintheearlystagesof
struggleoutweighsthepotentialmaterialbenefit.Thosewhocatalyserevolutionareseldomthepeoplewhoprofitfromit.Inthisstruggle,mostofusarenotyetdirectlyconfronting
armedforce(thoughthismaywellchangeaswebecomeeffective),sotheriskstowhichweexposeourselvesandourfamiliesare,asyet,slighterthanthoseencounteredbyother
revolutionaries.Nor,ofcourse,arethepotentialbenefitsofresistanceasobvious,forthoseactivistswholiveintherichworld,asthebenefitsofoverthrowingNazioccupationor
deposinganindigenoustyrant,orbreakingawayfromaformallyconstitutedempire.Whilemostofthepeopleofthepoorworldhaveanacuteneedtochangethecircumstances
whichgovernthewaytheylive,theproblemstheprotestersinrichnationscontestbelongtothesecondorderofconcern:wearenotconfrontedbyimminentstarvationordeath
throughwaterbornedisease,butbydistantwars,economicinstability,climatechangeandtheexhaustionofresourcesissueswhichseldompresentimmediatethreatstooursurvival.
Butwhiletheproposalsinthismanifestoofferlittlebywayofmaterialselfadvancementtoactivistsintherichworld,thereis,incollectiverevolutionaryaction,somethingwhich
appearstobemissingfromalmosteveryotherenterpriseinmodernsecularlife.Itarises,Ithink,fromthe,intensityoftherelationshipsforgedinacollectivepurposeconcentrated
byadversity.ItistheexultationwhichChristianscall'joy',butwhich,inthedrydiscourseofsecularpolitics,hasnorecognizedequivalent.Itisthedrugforwhich,oncesampled,you

thosewithagencyareconfrontedbyachoice
.

Wecanusethatagencytosecure

willpayanyprice.

All

comfortableexistence
.
Wecanforourselvesasafeanduseourlife,thatoneunrepeatableproductoffourbillionyearsofserendipityandevolution,toearnalittlemore,tosavealittle
more,towintheapprovalofourbossesandtheenvyofourneighbours.Wecanplaceuponourwallsthosetombstoneswhichthelivingerecttothemselves:theframedcertificatesof

Wecan
,quiterationally,
subordinate

our
desirefor
liberty

toourdesireforsecurity
.
Orwecanuseouragencytochangethe
world,and,inchangingit,tochangeourselves.

Wewilldieandbeforgottenwithnolesscertaintythanthose
theiracceptanceintowhatErichFrommhascalledthe'necrophiliac'worldofwealthandpower
.

whosoughttofendoffdeathbyenhancingtheirmaterialpresenceontheearth,butwewilllivebeforewediethroughtheextremesoffeelingwhichcomfortwoulddenyus.Idonot
presumetolecturethosewhohavelittleagencyamongthemthemajoritywholiveinthepoorworldonhowtomanagetheirlives.Overthepastfiveyearsinmanyofthecountriesof
thepoorworldthoughthisisseldomreportedintheWestpeoplehavetriedtochangetheircircumstancesthroughexplosivedemonstrationsofgrief,angerandhope.Ihavesought,
withthismanifesto,simplytoenhancethathope,bydemonstratingthattheremaybeviablealternativestothesystemsthatsubjugatethem.Butformostofthepeopleoftherich
world,andthemoreprosperouspeopleofthepoorworld,revolutionoffersthepossibilityoffreedomfromtheconstraintsweimposeuponourselves.Freedomistheabilitytoact
uponourbeliefs.Itexpands,therefore,withthescopeoftheactionwearepreparedtocontemplate.Ifweknowthatwewillneveract,wehavenofreedom:wewill,fortherestofour
lives,doaswearetold.Almosteveryonehassomesensethatotherpeopleshouldbetreatedasshewouldwishtobe.Almosteveryone,inotherwords,hasanotionofjustice,andfor
mostpeoplethisnotion,howeverformulated,sitssomewhereclosetotheheartoftheirsystemofbeliefs.Ifwedonotactuponthissenseofjustice,wedonotactupononeofour
primarybeliefs,andourfreedomisrestrictedaccordingly.Tobetrulyfree,inotherwords,wemustbepreparedtocontemplaterevolution.Anotherreasonwhywedonotactisthat,
fromthedaysofourbirth,weareimmersedinthepoliticalsituationintowhichweareborn,andasaresultwecannotimagineourwaythroughitwecannotenvisagethatitwillever
cometoanend.Thisiswhyimaginationisthefirstqualificationoftherevolutionary
.
A
revolutionaryissomeonewhorecognizesthecontingencyof

power.
Whatsustainscoercivepowerisnotforceofarms,orevencapital,

butbelief
.
Whenpeopleceasetobelieve

tobelieveinitastheywouldbelieveinagod,inits
omnipotence,itsunassailabilityanditsvalidity

andwhentheyactuponthatbelief,an
empirecancollapse
,almostovernight.
Thosewhopossesspowerwillsurrenderitonlywhentheyseethatthecostsphysicalorpsychological
ofretainingitarehigherthanthecostsoflosingit.

Therehavebeenmanyoccasionsonwhichrulerspossessedthemeansofsuppressing

revoltthenecessarytanksandplanesorcannonsandcavalrydivisionsbutchosenottodeploythem,becausethey
perceivedthatthepersonaleffortofretainingpoweroutweighedtheeffortofrelinquishingit.
Oneofthe

surprisesofhistoryisthetendencyofsomeofthemostinflexiblerulers
suddenlytogiveup,fornoevidentmaterialreason.Theygiveupbecause
theyaretired
,
sotiredthattheycannolongersustaintheburningpurposerequiredtoretainpower.Theyaretired

becausetheyhave
hadtostruggleagainsttheunbeliefoftheirpeople
,
toreassert,throughasupremepsychologicaleffort,the
validityoftheirpower.

Personalrejectioniscriticaltomovingawayfromcapitalismthesystemisonlyinevitableifwetreatitas
such.Holloway05,
Holloway,05(John,Ph.DinPoliticalSciencefromtheUniversityofEdinburgh,CanwechangetheWorldwithouttakingpower,AdebatebetweenHollowayandAlexCallinicos,August
16th,

http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/5616
)

Idon'tknowtheanswer.Perhapswecanchangetheworldwithouttakingpower.Perhapswecannot.
Thestartingpoint
:forallofus,Ithink
:

isuncertainty
,
not
knowing,acommonsearchforawayforward
.
Becauseitbecomesmoreandmoreclearthatcapitalismisacatastrophefor

humanity
.

Aradicalchangeintheorganisationofsociety,thatis,revolution,ismoreurgentthanever.Andthisrevolutioncanonlybeworldrevolutionifitistobeeffective.

theonlywayinwhichwecan
conceiveofrevolutionis

asinterstitialrevolution
,
as
arevolutionthattakesplaceinthe
intersticesofcapitalism,arevolutionthatoccupiesspacesintheworld
whilecapitalismstillexists
.

Thequestionishowweconceiveoftheseinterstices,whetherwethinkofthemasstatesorinotherways.In
thinkingaboutthis
,
wehavetostartfromwhereweare,

fromthemanyrebellionsandinsubordinationsthathavebroughtusto
PortoAlegre
.
Theworldisfullofsuchrebellions,ofpeople

sayingNOtocapitalism
:
NO,weshallnotliveourlivesaccording

tothedictatesofcapitalism,weshalldowhatweconsidernecessaryordesirableandnotwhatcapitaltellsustodo.

Sometimeswejustsee
capitalismasanallencompassingsystemofdominationandforgetthat
such
rebellionsexisteverywhere
.
Attimestheyaresosmallthateventhoseinvolveddonotperceivethemasrefusals,butoftentheyare

Butitisunlikelythatworldrevolutioncanbeachievedinonesingleblow.Thismeansthat

collectiveprojectssearchingforanalternativewayforwardandsometimestheyareasbigastheLacandonJungleortheArgentinazoofthreeyearsagoortherevoltinBoliviajust
overayearago.Alloftheseinsubordinationsarecharacterisedbyadrivetowardsselfdetermination,animpulsethatsays,'No,youwillnottelluswhattodo,weshalldecidefor

refusalscanbeseenas
fissures,as
cracksinthesystem

ofcapitalist
domination
.

Capitalismisnot
(
inthefirstplace)

aneconomicsystem,but
asystemofcommand
.

Capitalists,
throughmoney,commandus,tellinguswhattodo.

Torefusetoobeyistobreakthecommandof
capital
.
ourselveswhatwemustdo.'These

Thealternativeisaprivate
propertymarketeconomywhereeveryoneisselfemployed
(individuallyorjointly)
in
theirworkplace.
Afirmwherethe
managersandworkersarejointlyworkingfor
themselveswillbecalleda"selfemploymentfirm,"a"workerownedfirm"
(where"worker"alwaysincludesallwhoworkinthebusinessenterprise),ora
"democraticfirm"incontrastto
theconventional"capitalistfirm"or"employmentfirm."

Thebasisquestionisthisthe
accuratebutlessknownnamesofthesystembasedontheemployeremployeerelation.

employeremployeerelationoruniversalselfemploymentintheworkplace?

Thisprecludesallotherimpacts,wecanonlyapproachknowledgeoncewe
untangleitfromregimesofpower.
Bleiker
writes76


Itiswithindiscourse
,
oneofFoucaultsmuchrehearsedpassages(1976,133)notes,

thatpowerand
knowledgearticulateeachother.

TheworkoftheFrenchhistorianandphilosopherepitomizeswhatisatstakeinquestionsof
discourseandagency.ForFoucault,

discourses
aresubtlemechanismsthatframeourthinkingprocess.They

determinethelimitsof
whatcanbethought,

talkedandwritteninanormalandrationalway.Ineverysocietythe
productionofdiscourses
iscontrolled
,selected,organized
anddiffusedbycertainprocedures.Thisprocess
createssystemsofexclusioninwhichonegroupofdiscoursesiselevated
toahegemonicstatus
,whileothersarecondemnedtoexile.Discoursesgiverisetosocialrulesthatdecidewhichstatementsmostpeoplerecognizeas
valid,asdebatableorasundoubtedlyfalse.Theyguidetheselectionprocessthatascertainswhichpropositionsfrompreviousperiodsorforeignculturesareretained,imported,
valued,andwhichareforgottenorneglected(seeFoucault,1969,1971,1991,5960).Noteverythingisdiscourse,buteverythingisindiscourse.Thingsexistindependentlyof
discourses,butwecanonlyassessthemthroughthelensesofdiscourse,throughthepracticesofknowing,perceivingandsensing,whichwehaveacquiredovertime.Discourses

Systemsof

rendersocialpracticesintelligibleandrationalFandbydoingsomaskthewaysinwhichtheyhavebeenconstitutedandframed.

dominationgraduallybecomeacceptedasnormalandsilentlypenetrate
everyaspectofsociety
.

Theyclingtothemostremotecornersofourmind,for,asNietzsche(1983,17)onceexpressedit,allthingsthatlivelongare
graduallysosaturatedwithreasonthattheiremergenceoutofunreasontherebybecomesimprobable.

4.Rolloftheballot:
Thustheroleoftheballottextis:ResistingCapitalism,thiswagesystemscause
oppressionandslaveryandthattakesourfreedom.ThisLivingWagemakesus
objectsfortheemployer,itleavesemployeesinaplacewheretheycaneither
acceptawageorbeinpoverty,thisisanissuebecauseitgivestheemployera
chancetodecidehowmuchweareworthandthattakesourfreedom,andthe
wholepointofthisdebateiseducation,itistofindthebestpossibleresponse
towardstheissuethatwagesbringintoplace.