You know what I just realized regarding charity?

[Fulanito de Tal]

Charity is charity for the capitalists!! We know that eventually, the super rich capitalists will accumulate all of the money because they pay us less than what it cost to acquire the same shit at the market. When we go to the market to buy whatever, we're losing money and they are gaining it. So charities help off set that by transferring some money from the rich to the poor to avoid uprisings and maybe a bubble burst.

Now, check this out. A company (let's say Wal-Mart) can donate huge sums of money to support a poor single mothers shelter/program. The agency can use that money to go to Wal-Mart and buy the shit needed to provide services. Really nice of Wal-Mart, right? Nope! Wal-Mart makes money off of that because they get tax breaks and it looks good to the rest of the people because since they're so modest, they advertise it and people think, "Oh, Wal-Mart is so nice <3" and tilt their heads to the side. But and moreover, they still make more money supplying the money as charity than supplying actual commodities because commodities would be a direct loss to the company, but selling still contains a SURPLUS VALUE in it. Right?! Fucking bullshit. So they double dip: tax breaks and surplus value.

Also, regarding humanitarian aid. The US loves to boast that it gave Haiti millions of dollars in aid to Haiti. That's what it cost the US government, paid for by tax payers, to buy and supply the aid to Haiti, which all comes from the private market! Fucking shit. The capitalist makes profit again..at the price of every tax payer.

Am I clear in this? Is there anything wrong with the logic? Also, am I missing anything?

I might be on a mood rushhhhhhhhhh :lol:

[DarkPast]

I believe that charity simply cannot work when tied to a consumerist culture. It's really ironic when someone buys a T-shirt that contributes 10 cents to an AIDS program - in the country hosting the sweatshop the shirt was sewed in.

[piet11111]

The existence of charity's also allows capitalists to dodge responsibility.
Bono doing a concert for free instead of actually donating a % of his fortune springs to mind right away.

[miltonwasfried...man]

Charity is like a bandage covering a gapping hemorrhaging wound. It is a short sighted attempt to cover up the symptoms instead of curing the disease.

[Rusty Shackleford]

every capitalist government loan or aid deal given to a poorer country's government comes back, in some degree, to a bank that exists in the country of the donating government.

[RemoveYourChains]

Charity is charity for the capitalists!!

Yup.

Same goes for various public welfare programs (especially those which directly purchase commodities from a set list of suppliers, like certain food aid programs in the U.S.)

The "social safety net" generally is a bulwark against revolution. It makes capitalism "livable enough."

[Shropshire Socialist]

So should we not give to charity or volunteer then?

[RemoveYourChains]

So should we not give to charity or volunteer then?

I wouldn't extrapolate that from the above mentioned critique of "reliance on charity." Though I would say one should be very careful about what charities they donate to - you could very well be giving an interest bearing shelter to big business.

That said - what I would criticize even while being willing to give to some charities (and certainly extending material aid directly to those in need) is the reliance upon charity to solve social problems. Charity cannot be allowed to replace revolution.

[piet11111]

Then there are charity's that are operating like a business where the boss gets to buy nice stuff tax free so he can operate his charity like a secretary a car + driver and of course expensive lunches with vip's.

[Shropshire Socialist]

I wouldn't extrapolate that from the above mentioned critique of "reliance on charity." Though I would say one should be very careful about what charities they donate to - you could very well be giving an interest bearing shelter to big business.

That said - what I would criticize even while being willing to give to some charities (and certainly extending material aid directly to those in need) is the reliance upon charity to solve social problems. Charity cannot be allowed to replace revolution.

Agreed. Some charities should be avoided at all costs, like many cancer charities who seem to spend more on new BMW's for the boss than they do on research.

[Ocean Seal]

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[Fulanito de Tal]

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It's not what you're buying, it's what you're buying into...it's not just buying a cup of coffee...includes the prices for its opposite...it is not an solution, it is an aggravation...we are approaching a zero point...there is an element of hypocrisy.Great! :)

[Fulanito de Tal]

every capitalist government loan or aid deal given to a poorer country's government comes back, in some degree, to a bank that exists in the country of the donating government.

Quit sounding like Lenin :p