Distribution

[Schrödinger's Cat]

Suppose, if you would, a new item is brought into fruition, but the demand currently outmatches the supply because only X number of said goods have gone to the distribution center. Take any example you want: a video game console, car, chair, television -- how do you see the distribution process being handled? Would those who already own the particular item be refused getting another of the same item? By whom? Would there people certain criteria to determine which people would get the item first, or would it be first come, first serve?

[Everyday Anarchy]

I would believe that entertainment items such as those would be given out to those that the person or people that made them wish to be given to. Unless there is enough to be mass-distributed, it should not be something to bicker over.

However, say there is enough to be distributed widely, and it is a necessity (food, water, shelter), then I see it as a human right for the people to demand it.

[co-op]

As Everyday Anarchy alludes to, where scarcity exists concerning a certain product (demand outstripping supply) producers and consumers would decide who would recieve. Whilst this goes on the same producer and consumer councils would work to coordinate efforts to equalise supply/demand.

If someone requested a duplicate item at a time of scarcity then clearly common-sense says they should be denied this request although I do believe selfish behavior like this would be uncommon. A person exhibiting greedy behavior in a society that has producer/consumer self-management, (with all the social harmony and solidarity with others such a society demands) would stand out in that society. It might actually be a problem getting people to accept items that others would be denied, as humans have a great capability of self-sacrifice for others.

[blackstone]

As i was told, this is bound to happen in all economies, whether market or planned(central or participatory) because there is no way to foretell the future to predict sudden changes that can affect the social plan or the allocation of resources.

Now, are you saying the goods are no longer available in the distribution center but may still be available in the warehouse? If so, then people can put their name on a waiting list and told when the new shipment comes in.

Are you saying, that there is no certain goods in the center or enough in the warehouse, yet the production unit hasn't reached it net output, so they are in the continual process of producing more? If so, sign the waiting list.

But i'm pretty sure, there will be mechanisms in place that will alert the proper industries when demand is equalizing and on the fast pace of surpassing supply. This flag may force the units to replan and increase production of the product. Or worse case scenario some people may not get what they hoped for. I see this happening with goods with high social oppurtunity costs, more so than ones with low social costs like chairs, tables, video game consoles, etc.

[LSD]

Suppose, if you would, a new item is brought into fruition, but the demand currently outmatches the supply because only X number of said goods have gone to the distribution center. Take any example you want: a video game console, car, chair, television -- how do you see the distribution process being handled?

Equitably.

Practically speaking it isn't really that difficult to come up with fair distribution plan. It's just a matter of calculating the relevent figures (demand, production capacity, etc..) and rendering an optimal means of deliverying to the maximum of non-selective distributed consumers.

Worst case scenario, some people might have to wait a few extra weeks to get their hands on some item. But that's going to be in the vast minority of cases.

It's also important to remember that, with only a few exceptions, the kind of scarcity you're talking about is artificial.

The reason that more televisions don't get made isn't a lack of raw materials or productive capacity, but the inherent limitations of capitalist production. The same goes for chairs, cars, and pretty much everything else.

Currently, a manufcaturor can only produce as much has he can "afford" to, a figure which is entirely dependent on transactionals like sales and pricing, and exernalities like "the market".

Obviously none of these will be relevent in a postcapitalist society.

More importantly, there will not be the impedement of capitalist laws which, as it stand, limit the productive capacity to merely that which can be contracted by the body with the "right" to produce the product in question.

In a communist society, if some product isn't getting made enough to meet demand, more people will start making it. If a new kind of television or game console or chair or whatever is more popular than the prexisting models, all of the factories can switch to making the new one.

Unlike today, there won't be any incentive to try and "compete" with a superior product.

[Spasiba]

This question reminded me of one of my own that I haven't asked yet:
What if, for example, there is a scarcity of food, how do we distribute it?

[AGITprop]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2007 09:26 am
This question reminded me of one of my own that I haven't asked yet:
What if, for example, there is a scarcity of food, how do we distribute it?
to quote LSD

Equitably.

but there is no reason tohave a shortage of food. we can feed everyone.