Trying to construct an argument (re: selfishness and socialism)

[ed miliband]

A lot of arguments against socialism revolve around the idea that humanity is intrinsically selfish whilst socialism is anti-selfishness, and so against human nature. Even those sympathetic to socialism (or rather social democracy) quite often talk of socialism in terms of sacrifice, as if socialism goes against what it is to be human.

Workers - the vast majority of society - are paid a wage that is a tiny amount of what they have worked to produce, and this is the case for millions of men, women and children. Surely it is a lack of selfishness that allows capitalism to exist, for if these many millions of people decided to truly be selfish they would not sell their labour for a fraction of what it is worth?

Now I'm kind of stuck... does ^ make any sense? Are there any good texts on selfishness and socialism?

[Zanthorus]

I assume this is the sort of thing you're looking for:

The Right To Be Greedy: Theses On The Practical Necessity Of Demanding Everything by For Ourselves (http://libcom.org/library/right-be-greedy-theses-practical-necessity-demanding-everything)

[ed miliband]

Ace. That's great, cheers.

[Luisrah]

Of course it makes sense! Although it isn't a lack of selfishness that allows capitalism to exist, but a lack of conscience.
Workers don't know that they are paid much less than what their work is worth. If they knew it, and that they could live much better and work much less, you'd see selfishness abolish capitalism in the following day :lol:

[mikelepore]

I agree with the approach taken in the first post. I would just warn you, be prepared to defend this point:


Workers .... are paid a wage that is a tiny amount of what they have worked to produce

Many and perhaps most defenders of capitalism will argue that the main factors that produce wealth are the founder of the company having "a good idea" and the investors "taking a risk." They will say that the workers didn't do anything that is very important, "all they did was sell their labor."

What seems obvious to us is a major conceptual stumbling block for many people who believe in capitalism.