Hypocrisy, Capitalism, and Self-Preservation

[Awful Reality]

Just today I was accused of hypocrisy by one of my friends for being a rather avid Marxist, while going to a rather expensive, rich, private school. I refuted the claims on the basis that the Capitalist system seeks self-preservation in that it forces its workers down by refusing to allow them to thrive without succumbing to itself, leaving the only possibility to remove the system revolution; ergo I am forced by its exploitive nature to support it.

Comments? Thoughts? Should I move this to the Theory forum?

[Niccolò Rossi]

I would largely agree with you.

I've had a debate similar to this in another forum where posters where suggesting that it was hypocritical for Marxists to participate in business and exploit others within it's profit motivated capitalist framework.

This standpoint is a foolish one. The reason being every individual in capitalist society is made to participate in it. For example everyone must buy clothes to wear, even if these clothes may be produced in third world sweatshops owned by massive transnational corporations where the workers are brutally exploited. In our own small way we can do nothing but help feed this capitalist exploitation as we are all living within the confines of this system.

The only possible solution to this supposed "hypocrisy" proposed by those who advocate this standpoint is to completely isolate and divorce ones self from modern capitalist society, living a "hippie" lifestyle if you will. The problem with this is that it in no way aids the class struggle, helping bring an end to this exploitative stage of society!

The conclusion is that one can not condemn another, let along a fellow comrade, for engaging in the exploitative profit system of modern capitalist society by engaging in business or any other form of profiteering, since they are only acting based of their necessity to survive, their material conditions of existence, that being, work or starve, profit or starve, engage or starve...

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

You can't move threads; but I will move this to the Learning section.

[Q]

You can realise how the system works and fight it, you cannot however simply ignore capitalism without putting yourself in a rather primitive state of living. This point was already made clear by Marx.

The only solution is try raising class counciousness and organisation by putting out an alternative to the system in our propaganda and discussions. And fight for that alternative.

[Red_or_Dead]

I would say that we have to distinguish what is hypocracy and what is not. I think that comrade fourthinternational is not hypocritical at all, he has every right to a good education, and he should have the right to get it for free, as every one of us should have that right. A consuming communist is NOT a hypocrate. A bourgeoise that advocates communism... Thats something a whole lot different. That imo, IS hypocracy.


The only solution is try raising class counciousness and organisation by putting out an alternative to the system in our propaganda and discussions. And fight for that alternative.

Agreed. One day when people will have enough of exploiting cappies, we should be there with a clear alternative.

[Dros]

There is a common misconception (probably coming out of the sixties) that being a marxist means not consuming/being wealthy. While most Marxists aren't wealthy, some (Engels) are. Marxism is not Hippyism. We still consume. But we fight for the end of the explotative conditions and property relations under which that consumption occurs.

[BIG BROTHER]

Yes, living in a capitalist world, we would have to live isolated in a commune or somewhere far away to avoid taking part in the capitalist society. But that's rather hard an inefifcient so is better to take Q-Collective's advice.

[Lector Malibu]

You can realise how the system works and fight it, you cannot however simply ignore capitalism without putting yourself in a rather primitive state of living. This point was already made clear by Marx.

The only solution is try raising class counciousness and organisation by putting out an alternative to the system in our propaganda and discussions. And fight for that alternative.

I think this is some sound advice. It's very hard to get away from the capitalist beast. In alot of ways like it was stated we all need the basics, food clothing, and trying the method of not paying into the system is difficult also because everything you buy has taxes attached to it witch continue to feed the beast.

[BIG BROTHER]

I think this is some sound advice. It's very hard to get away from the capitalist beast. In alot of ways like it was stated we all need the basics, food clothing, and trying the method of not paying into the system is difficult also because everything you buy has taxes attached to it witch continue to feed the beast.

Yes! That's why in the end the only solution is a revolution!

[Schrödinger's Cat]

The goal of communists is to provide everyone with similar education as your own. It's not hypocritical. Even wealth isn't hypocritical, as long as you didn't acquire it through wage slavery.