My solution to your "class warfare" bs

[Ahura Mazda]

Unlike some people of my political persuasion (extremely right-wing libertarian), I will admit that Corporations have done the world plenty of bad in the past, and will continue to do bad when they can get away with it. Corporations are Just Like Governments in this way, and the only way to stop it is to abolish corporations. That is not nearly the same thing as destroying the free market; it keeps the free market around as it should be, with producers being held accountable for what they screw up. Enron scandals could not happen if that particular individual was not held to be just as much Enron as any other employee or other stockholder. I have ruminated and foruminated on this before, and have yet to have found a single argument saying it won't work, the closest being an economic depression the likes of which have never been seen before, but given sufficient time, companies would be allowed to adjust to the new rules, and such depressions could be avoided.

[Guest1]

I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at here. We ask for the abolition of corporations too, by taking away bosses, and creating democratically run workplaces. Run by the workers there, with profits shared equally. At least at first, later there would be no prift, because all would become free.

[synthesis]

How would you do this without government intervention?

[redstar2000]

I have ruminated and fulminated on this before, and have yet to have found a single argument saying it won't work...

Funny you should bring this up. Did you know that at the very beginning of American history, none other than Thomas Jefferson (slave-owner) was pissing and moaning about "corrupt and arrogant corporations" undermining the moral fiber of the new nation? :lol:

In any event, capitalists themselves would find your proposal unacceptable for obvious reasons...if they can't sell shares of stock, then they'd have to go "hat in hand" to the bankers. They hate that.

Lefties would find your proposal superfluous...if we are abolishing private property in the means of production, corporations will be abolished as a trivial by-product.

There is an older form of capitalism that still survives here and there...the partnership. You'll remember Arthur Anderson of course...that particular "nest of vipers" was not a corporation but rather a partnership (with hundreds of partners). Many major legal firms are likewise partnerships...they rigorously exploit young lawyers and para-legals with the same enthusiasm as any corporation that ever existed (80 to 100 hour work weeks are routine...and "overtime" is a word that does not appear in their vocabulary).

I'm afraid it's class warfare after all. :D

http://anarchist-action.org/forums/images/smiles/redstar.gif

The RedStar2000 Papers (http://www.anarchist-action.org/marxists/redstar2000/)
A site about communist ideas

[monkeydust]

Originally posted by Ahura [email protected] 3 2004, 11:38 PM
Unlike some people of my political persuasion (extremely right-wing libertarian), I will admit that Corporations have done the world plenty of bad in the past, and will continue to do bad when they can get away with it. Corporations are Just Like Governments in this way, and the only way to stop it is to abolish corporations. That is not nearly the same thing as destroying the free market; it keeps the free market around as it should be, with producers being held accountable for what they screw up. Enron scandals could not happen if that particular individual was not held to be just as much Enron as any other employee or other stockholder. I have ruminated and foruminated on this before, and have yet to have found a single argument saying it won't work, the closest being an economic depression the likes of which have never been seen before, but given sufficient time, companies would be allowed to adjust to the new rules, and such depressions could be avoided.
You made an interesting point here........'Governments are just like corporations'.

The reality is largely that governments are often controlled by corporations, whether they like it or not.

For example, in Britain today there are several 'pressure groups' many struggling for sectional interests such as gay rights and what have you. The CBI (confederation of British industry) has more influence than nearly all of these 'moral cause' groups put together and is very much intertwined with the government. If a CBI official advises Gordon Brown or Blair about an issue, (usually an economic one) Brown and Blair will have to basck down. Why? Because it is these corporations that shape the economy, the government cannot afford to upset them.

This raises the question. How, within the current structure (which you advocate) would corporations be 'removed'?