this is a nice website, but i am little bit afraid ideas posted here are more dreaming than reality. Needs of all people in this world will never be fulfilled. We do need growth and it may not be correlating with damaging earth, but rather technology growth over economic one. I agree, that capitalism is getting sick, but solution is not to entirely replace it, but to replace sick parts and make it more healthy. If our effort was more focused on technology growth, than economic growth, we could invest more resources into technology. Space is big and allows almost infinite resources and expansion, but our greed is slowing us to achieve our global goals of evolution.

I think many of us share in your opinion regarding inheritance for our children and so forth.
You can however start to distance yourself from this capitalistic systems pickpocketing effect.
1. Understand how the tax system works in your Country and make absolutely sure that you do everything legally to benefit as much as possible in whatever desicions you make for yourself and your family.
2. Pay of your debt as quickly as possibly, and to do that you have to stop making anymore debt!!
3. Switch off the Television and stop supporting the mainstream media in all aspects.
4. Should you have spare cash, do not save it in a Bank, but rather find a way to invest it in something that increases in value.
5. Most importantly, invest in yourself, and I am not talking about a degree or something, no! Find one or more mentors that have proven themselves being wealth creators.The problem is financial education, I am not talking about getting an eduction in the Ivy League, no sir, that could result in total financial collapse.
I can suggest someone like Dr Hannes Dreyer – google his name and see what you think. Maybe you have someone else in mind.

Needless to say that this is not a quick fix, but rather a good start in the right direction!

Well, I really wish you all the best in whatever you decide to focus on.

Regards

I want to be able to tell my children that my not having a financial inheritance to give them or a social class they can inherit is not my fault, and that in fact it was all an abberation. But my duty to them is such that I will give them all the knowledge I have about how to succeed in capitalism or end up ill and aching from hard work that benefits others. I hope they won’t experience the uphill struggle and inevitable failure that we and countless generations have faced, despite our merits but I would rather they try something else as well as looking after their own interests. Books like yours are sure to be on their shelves.

We dont say we dont want to work and get benefit we will work for humanity not for a corporate who owns a huge business, produces in china or india because labour is cheap there and always increases the price where the crap dose the money goes and why they have to go there if they want to sell it if its becoming more expensive may be i dont know how business works..

but i know once the capatalism dies,, wars will die in this planet and humans will live as humans not as a bonded slaves.

by
an old man

Nicely written. I like how outlined the problems and solutions-very thoughtful. I am most interested in how the consciousness of society will shift when Americans have been indoctrinated into passive obedience. Many of us who would agree and would even read this are out on the fringe, and I do think that peaceful change is possible but only through a massive awakening across “main street” America to the growing changes in our world.

I don’t know how that will be done. But I think that as long as folks like you are thinking and sharing your thoughts there is a chance for positive change.

There is an oligarchy that does control the world, whether we want to admit this or not. Mostly the banks and the major corporates are the vehicles they employ.

I am of the opinion that we find ourselves in a modern day feudal system. The majority of the citizens in this world actually seem to enjoy this form of management system. They seem to be ignorant of this fact in the social circles in which I move, and that to me is prove in itself. The media is a tool that was finetuned by Edward Bernays, the nephew of Sigmund Frued.

Attention distraction through entertainment and the fast pace of life I find to be mainly the reason for our ignorance in these matters.

I humbly mention that I have authored a book called – The Pickpocket Effect of Capitalism. It is available In both Kindle and softback on amazon.

I have been searching for websites where I could express myself in this regard, and therefore joined this one.

I also have a website called http://www.thepickpocketeffectofcapitalism.com

I have to mention that I feel very isolated in my social circle regarding this subject, and would love it if more people could voice their opinions. I would be honoured if you people would consider joining my website.

Everybody could only gain so much from this.

Well, I remain sincerely Marthinus P.Rabie

it seems we just have different definitions of the word capitalism. your definition is a theory, which you say has never been practiced. i believe my definition has greater applicability, because it’s based on the real system in which we live, and the common understanding of the word capitalism.

if you want to call the system we live in fascist, go for it, i won’t stop you. but it meets my (and i think most people’s) definition of a capitalist society, because the economy is controlled by private property, such as enormous banks and corporations. capitalism for me is much more than a theory, it is the hard reality of our world, a reality of oppression, abuse, psychological distress, war, prejudice, prisons, and a long history of trauma that goes back 500 years.

i think it’s valuable to define terms that make immediate sense to the people you’re trying to reach. for example, if we live in a “fascist” society right now, and have done so forever, what makes fascist Italy or Nazi Germany so different? because they were very different.

alex

Um, no. What you are describing is the form of statism known as fascism (aka corporatism). The fascists also don’t make money – they make fiat money. Real money is a medium of exchange which has a finite quantity and is used by mutual voluntary agreement. Fiat money is a medium of exchange which has no finite quantity and is used by threat of violence.

Capitalism is a theory in which everyone may save their surplus earnings until they accrue capital which they can then invest as they wish. It’s never been a practice. Fascists and other statists often pretend to be capitalists because it’s easy to sucker people into supporting statism when they think they can strike it rich by virtue of their own hard work and good ideas.

Note in our society the government seizes the surplus earnings through taxation and hands them out to itself or it’s fascist cronies, thus forcing any entrepreneur to beg for a loan from a fascist banking institution.

Hope you are thriving. You wil now have to excuse my slowness in replying.

Your practical suggestion to ‘cultivate a community of caring people’ is very wise and true. I don’t think I’ve personally done enough of that (always been a bit of a lone thinker!) so it’s certainly given me motivation to do so – cheers!
This transition debate is crucial, so it’s good to discuss. I agree we must build a political movement, as well as the local economic alternatives. But what should the movement aim for? In order to sort this out, we must have some idea about what we are aiming for i.e the alternative anti-capitalist society. I agree with Trainer that only a far more localised society (although there would still be room for regional/federal economic/political units etc) is compatible with a just and sustainable world order…the footprint analysis and much else establishes this clearly. I also think if we want a real democracy – one in which all people really participate in making decisions – the basic economic and political institutions are going to have to be far more local; large centralised organisations and institutions (i.e TNCs + States etc etc) cannot deliver the kind of direct inclusive democracy we hope for…
So back to my question, what kind of political movement should we develop? I don’t think it should aim at taking state power because this revolution can’t be imposed from above. The history of ‘actually existing socialism’ proves that even with the best intentions, revolutionaries who impose their ideas/values on people, usually end up creating a repressive disaster. Also, from a purely practical point of view, large scale states/institutions will not be able to run localised economies! That has to be done by the people on the ground, fumbling their way to the new alternatives.
Neither should the movement aim to pressure the state to institute humane reforms. Clearly, this is inadequate because consumer capitalism cannot be fixed – its basic systems and structures (i.e production for profit, the market, economic growth, large states) are what is causing the problems!
So the movement MUST be local and it must aim at creating alternative local (and non-market) economic institutions. How do we get such a movement going? The best way is to begin creating communal economic arrangements in the here and now. Trainer talks about ‘ignoring capitalism to death’ and I think he is basically correct (see his website for details of a practical strategy that small group of people could start now).
It’s true that this will not be enough. At some stage – but only once we have gained enough support and awareness (unfortunately there is very little awareness currently) – we might be able to win local council elections, and, ideally, devolve them into radical democratic communities. A great political philosopher Takis Foutoupolus stresses the importance of this point – I really recommend you check out his excellent (and free!) journal inclusive democracy (his analysis of today’s market capitalism is brilliant in my view) http://www.inclusivedemocracy.org/journal/.
But winning local elections is not something we can do now, in a situation where the vast majority of ordinary people do not have the required radical consciousness. Therefore I agree with Trainer that our best option is to devote our energies to educating people via building the inspiring local alternatives here and now.
It’s sad to hear about the frustrations in Philadelphia. This is a real problem, but I don’t think there are any easy answers. If you believe in the need for fundamental change – and not merely reformism – you have to try and create the alternatives. There are many cases where councils can in fact be very supportive; The Transition Towns movement, for example, have had lots of success working collaboratively with local governments. Of course, we would only work with them on practicalities, maintaining our independence and forging the revolution ourselves. There are also other institution that may help such as churches and various other community groups. Sometimes we may be forced to take over derelict urban land illegally…and with a little luck be largely ignored.
Of course, you are right to suggest that all this will be futile, unless at some point we can convince enough ordinary people of the need for change. But how else do we do it? We have to try and educate people, and the best way is through creating inspiring examples of the alternatives….

All the best

“1) wage labor (a huge population that cannot survive without selling itself to do work), …”

That is a huge point of contention with me and capitalism. Glad to see someone had picked up on it long before I did. I really have to read your posts more to see exactly where the present line of debate against capitalism resides. Can you recommend any posts of yours that particularly summarize the modern argument against capitalism? I have formulated my own incomplete ideas and answers but would like to find out if they are up to speed with the current trends in the debate.

I would sincerely hope this can be won by pure debate, assuming our side is very good at formulating our rebuttals.

Thanks,
sentry