Is it 'wrong' for a communist

[Osman Ghazi]

My question is: Is there something inherently 'wrong' with a communist owning a business? Do you guys think it matters what place in society you occupy as long as you still participate in leftist organization?

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by Osman [email protected] 14 2004, 11:58 PM
My question is: Is there something inherently 'wrong' with a communist owning a business? Do you guys think it matters what place in society you occupy as long as you still participate in leftist organization?
Depends on the Buisness, I suppose. If the buisness exploits others then its a clear "no-no", if its something like making and selling cookies :P (please forgive the example, first thing of my head), then I cant see how its a problem... unless it does really well, and you end up making a huge amount of money. Money is of course a limited resource, if you have a lot of money someone else has suffured, and has very little. Excessive wealth I find to be repulsive, as it automatically means that someone else must be living in excessive poverty.

[Guest1]

Like he said, if you're self-employed, or a very small business, not really.

Just don't participate in wage slavery.

[percept¡on]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14 2004, 11:25 PM
if its something like making and selling cookies :P (please forgive the example, first thing of my head), then I cant see how its a problem... unless it does really well, and you end up making a huge amount of money.
so its ok to start a business as long as its not a success.

<_<

[Mike Fakelastname]

Friedrich Engels ran a factory, so no, there&#39;s nothing wrong with it. Communists cannot help but to work within the capitalist system; eventually it will fail, but until then we have to live too&#33;

[Essential Insignificance]

I&#39;m with Enigma and Che y Marijuana.

I think that it would be a manifest contradiction for a fervent communist to own, let&#39;s say, a business that employs over five people.

We all have to, some how; make a living under these abysmal capitalist conditions. And micro economics play a large part in the functioning of capitalist society, so there is some room for people to make thier living--some are forced by circumstance into these kinds of situations.

Owning businesses, for example, like, a lawn mowing, a butchery or a small corner shop; I think, are all "acceptable" occupations, for a communist to own and manage.

When it comes to small businesses, I think, the bosses don&#39;t make all that much more then the employees. That&#39;s how it appears, nonetheless.

But, even still, s/he remains a boss; that exercises his/her control over wage-labors. Whose livelihood is conditioned; and exclusively dependent on the caprice of the petite bourgeoisie--their boss.



Friedrich Engels ran a factory, so no, there&#39;s nothing wrong with it.

I&#39;m exceedingly surprised that capitalist don&#39;t try and use this fact, when in argument.

[wet blanket]

Why own a business when you can start a syndicate? ;) You should democratize your workplace and pay all your workers the same as you pay yourself. Also, be sure to do the same jobs as those who you employ and give them all a say in the direction of the business.

[redstar2000]

If you are a communist and yet still want to run a small business, there&#39;s something you might want to keep in mind.

Commies make lousy businessmen. They&#39;re just not very good at it; they don&#39;t have the right "mind-set".

It&#39;s all well and good to "tell yourself" that "ok, I&#39;m going to be a ruthless bastard and get that money&#33;"

And the next thing you know, you&#39;re lending your employees money to cover personal emergencies or giving them extra time off or extending credit to poor people who will never pay you back, etc., etc.

Within a year or two, it&#39;s bankruptcy time. :(

The most practical solution, I think, is to sell a personal service to other businesses (it&#39;s easier for us to be ruthless to other capitalists) and not hire any wage-labor at all.

If you decide to go this route, remember: get the money up front&#33;

Don&#39;t fool around...capitalists are ever-ready to screw other capitalists (you) if they think they can get away with it.

:redstar2000:

The Redstar2000 Papers (http://www.redstar2000papers.fightcapitalism.net)
A site about communist ideas

[commiecrusader]

i dont see any problem with a communist owning a successful business as long as certain things happening. if the communist turns into a money-grubbing &#39;bill gates&#39; style employer then of course its wrong, since it would be no different to a capitalist running that business.

however if he shares the wealth, has good working conditions, and gives his workers a say then surely thats a good thing for everyone involved? if more businesses were run like that, then a capitalist society would be at least somewhat fairer than it currently is.

[Invader Zim]

Originally posted by percept¡[email protected] 15 2004, 01:35 AM
so its ok to start a business as long as its not a success.

<_<
It depends on what you define as a success, if you make profet enough for you to live, yet still enjoy it, this it could well be considered a success. Being a multi millionaire does not define success.

Commies make lousy businessmen. They&#39;re just not very good at it; they don&#39;t have the right "mind-set".

Redstar of course raises a very good point, I think it would be very difficult for a leftist to muster the kind of grim determination to screw other people over, which is of course a defining feature of successful buisness. Just as Bill Gates.