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permaculture - RE: [permaculture] Democracy and Capitalism are in contradiction

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  • From: "Michael Murphy" <mmurphy@ctsl.com>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [permaculture] Democracy and Capitalism are in contradiction
  • Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2003 01:15:25 -0700

I would say the emphasis in capitalism is on the efficient allocation of
capital, another scarce resource, to provide the largest possible match or
overlap with individuals' needs and wants (the sum total of individual
utility functions).

If democracy refers to a social system in which the participants as a whole
determine how the political system operates, then capitalism refers to an
economic system in which the participants as a whole determine what will be
produced by the resources available.

It's very hard to have a democracy without capitalism, and very hard to have
capitalism without a democracy. Thus the idea that if you want to undermine
undemocratic governments (China, Cuba), instead of isolating them, you open
them up to capitalism and democracy will follow.

Like democracy, capitalism is a very flawed system - but IMO they're both
miles ahead of whatever is in second place.

Michael Murphy
Bodhitree Farm
Half Moon Bay, California

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Kosuth [mailto:prkosuth@ll.net]
Sent: Thu 7/17/2003 6:39 PM
To: permaculture
Cc:
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Democracy and Capitalism are in
contradiction





robscott@sdf.lonestar.org wrote:

>I use the term "democracy" to refer to a social system in which the
>participants as a whole determine how the system operates.
>I use the term "capitalism" to refer to an economic system in which
the
>owners of capital determine how the system operates.
>
>
>
isn't capitalism the economic system with an emphasis on creating
surplus value and when this surplus value is sold the benefits go to
the
"owners" of the operation rather than the producers of the value (the
workers.) I strongly agree that capitalism is an economic system but
not
with your specific definition. Rather than a linking of democracy and
capitalism I see both as being very separate. Democracy is a method of
choice, capitalism is one of the choices. Which, to me, make life in
good ol' USA so frustrating when our "leaders" equate democracy and
capitalism. I keep hoping to vote in communism but I'm not holding my
breath.

Paul Kosuth

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