The WalMart Test: Do you pass?

[getfiscal]

A Canadian professor came up with what he calls "the WalMart test" a few years ago. The test is designed to evaluate whether a given left-wing politician is willing to accept basic facts about contemporary life or simply wants to pander to angry crowds.

The test is this: Do you think WalMart is a generally good thing for people?

You pass the test by leaning towards a "yes" answer.

Why? Because WalMart delivers products people want at the lowest possible price. It has developed innovative supply chains and transformed retail. It responds quickly to changes in demand and continuously improves its product lines. It charges low margins on most goods.

Personally, I think this oversimplifies things. There is a lot about WalMart to be worried about. But, as socialists, there's a lot about WalMart we should want to adopt for our retail outlets.

What do you think?

[RevSpetsnaz]

Badly made products, manufactured by slave labor, sold by a company that treats its workers appallingly.

[Veovis]

Wal*Mart does provide a necessary service to both customers and employees, but that's no excuse for their atrocious business practices. I'd answer no.

[artanis17]

SmgT-rwn5W4

[Per Levy]

is that even for real? i've found nothing in the net about this test, if it is real its bullshit and redicilous.


But, as socialists, there's a lot about WalMart we should want to adopt for our retail outlets.

like the way walmart treat workers? come on why should socialists model future super markets like walmart?

[NewLeft]

Lowest prices? Not really, especially not true in Canada. It's about on par with every retail store. I didn't answer yes or no, I mean Walmart is just another retail store. It isn't significantly better or worse than other large retails.

[28350]

WalMart is a good system of distribution if your logic is that of capital, and that of the law of value. Can you really not imagine a better form of... oh wait, i believe protocol calls for cute animal pictures now


The test is designed to evaluate whether a given left-wing politician is willing to accept basic facts about contemporary life or simply wants to pander to angry crowds.

Riff on this "facts vs. rage of teh masses" a bit more


But, as socialists, there's a lot about WalMart we should want to adopt for our retail outlets.


as socialists, [...] we
;)

[NoOneIsIllegal]

The "convenience" factor may be the only aspect socialists like.

- One of the most infamous union-busting companies in the US/World.

- Low wages. Most of its "competitors" pay their employees an average of 15-18% more.

- No benefits and/or bad benefits. 50% of it's employee's don't have health-insurance, and for the 50% who do, it gets worse every year. Walmart has been known to tell it's employee's to seek public assistance from the State rather than take their health-insurance plan. Part-time employee's are denied benefits the first year.

- Poor products. Their products are made by wage-slaves working in poor, unsafe conditions. Sure, it's cheaper, but you'll have to buy a new one soon after. It's better to spend the extra cash and buy a quality product somewhere else.

- Always understaffed.

- A whole list of complaints. Slightly pretentious term, I would honestly call it "bureaucratic hyper-capitalism"

[getfiscal]

I don't understand the argument that it is bad that WalMart workers use things like public health insurance. Don't we socialists support public services? I have family members that worked for WalMart and it was pretty terrible, but not because they were "subsidized" by the state or whatever.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

I don't understand the argument that it is bad that WalMart workers use things like public health insurance. Don't we socialists support public services? I have family members that worked for WalMart and it was pretty terrible, but not because they were "subsidized" by the state or whatever.
It's a little ironic. The most fervant supporters of Walmart also support "small government" and don't like "hand-outs." However, the average Walmart is publicly subsized at the rate of about $450,000 a year. In my city, we have 6 Walmart's... that's $2.7 million a year of taxpayer's money that Walmart gets for free.
Plus, the hardcore supporters of Walmart don't agree with the government helping with healthcare, even though Walmart tells it's employee's to use public health services.

It's a whole cluster fuck of problems. Walmart should just provide GOOD, quality health-insurance, because it can afford to.
As someone who has walmart's terrible health-insurance, I can personally say they barely cover the bill on anything. And prices keep rising every year.

[getfiscal]

Walmart should just provide GOOD, quality health-insurance, because it can afford to.
I support socialized health care so I think the state should provide public health insurance. Workers shouldn't have to depend on companies like WalMart if they get sick.

[Prometeo liberado]

WalMart good? Relative to the other retail giants. Meth good as relative to other drugs. Just call a wolf a wolf and understand thats what it is. They refuse to answer calls from collective employees and citizens for a living wage. And the crap that they sell better be low cost because the unfortunates that make it are also "low cost" people.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

I support socialized health care so I think the state should provide public health insurance. Workers shouldn't have to depend on companies like WalMart if they get sick.
If we're going to go off on a tangent, then I support communism because the workers produce all the wealth and make the world turn.
In our current situation, Walmart could easily give more towards its health-insurance plan. I have no problem with universal single-pay healthcare. You're stating the obvious.

Workers shouldn't have to depend on companies like WalMart if they get sick.
I could play devil's advocate and say "workers shouldn't have to depend on the State if they get sick."
:lol:

[ernie2]

NoOneIsIllegal

You rise an important question: the idea of state good, private bad! It does not matter who exploits us or provides us with the megre social wage we get.

Some use Walmart as the symbol of the evils of capitalism, it terrible conditions etc. Well if that is that case some of those reading this thread could be in for a surprise. Recently some friends of mine father died. One works for the NHS and one for Asda (Walmart British branch) the one working for the NHS was told they could have 3 days compassionate leave a year, the one working for Walmart was given 2 weeks compassionate leave without even asking for it. The one working for the NHS was told they could have more days off but they would have to be taken as sick days. In the NHS if you go off sick you have return to work interviews and there is some computer program they use (the Bradford score) to follow sick leave which gives scores and provides the "data" for the management "helping you" reduce your sick leave. So my friend in the NHS would have end up being punished for taking time off due to their father's death. An interesting insight into the joys of working for the state!
I

[runequester]

These are the same people that had a class action attempted for routine discrimination against women. Which was later thrown out since there were too many claimants.

Walmart is absolute proof of monopoly capitalism, which is a historical fact.
Whether it has side-effects that are beneficial is completely irrelevant in view of its overall role.

[Comrade Samuel]

So the wal-mart test: 1 aspect socialists may agree if rationalized past any kind of reason v.s about 200 reasons to see it as a souless cooperation bleeding proletariates of the world dry so that a relatively small minority may place covenant low prices over the well-being of actual people. I agree with runequester walmart is a prime example of monopoly capitalism and the "professor" who came up with this has some exsplaneing to do. Does anyone else find it odd theres no article or something to go along with this?

[The Cheshire Cat]

I failed for this test big time.... but that doesn't really matter, since this test is obvious bullshit:)

[RedAtheist]

I don't live in America and don't know shit about Walmart, but I will say this. Whatever it is like, it would be better if it were democratically controlled by the workers.

[Veovis]

I don't live in America and don't know shit about Walmart, but I will say this. Whatever it is like, it would be better if it were democratically controlled by the workers.

It's a department store / supermarket that sells mostly cheaply made imports and maintains atrocious labor relations with its employees. It's also known for driving local small businesses under wherever they set up shop. There's bound to be an Australian analog of some sort.