Occupy Confusion

[admin]

There is a lot confusion in the Occupy Wall Street activity. It mostly concerns capitalism. Some beliefs are just plain hilarious and can be brushed aside. Others are gravely naïve.

Here are the facts. Capitalism is an economic system where there exists private ownership of the means of production competing in markets. That's all. End of lesson.

Meanwhile, within this template, there are dozens and dozens of variations. That's a major advantage. The canon of capitalism is very small. It allows for vast, multidimensional emergence, mutation and variation.

In addition, it is impossible to accept any ridiculous notion of ‘US capitalism’ versus ‘Russian capitalism’ versus ‘China capitalism.’ Again, there are dozens of forms of capitalism such as free-market, corporate, social, industrial, mercantile, state, underground, micro, etc., etc. All of these forms can and do exist simultaneously. They all inhabit the economic system that shape capitalism. It is by far the dominate model for ALL people and civil society worldwide.

By in large the main and only problem is not too much capitalism, but too few capitalists! By far the main economic malaise, the structural barrier is summarized in one disgusting, pathetic chart as follows.




Remember, more govt isn’t the solution; more govt is the problem. To achieve prosperity society must scale-back and retire the vast tentacles of an over-reaching, obese government. The unsustainable scope and scale of government is an authentic reason for protesting. Occupy Washington, not Wall Street!

Goods producing payrolls must always exceed govt payrolls by a factor of four or five at least. Correcting this major structural defect leads overnight to greater wealth, equity distribution, fairness and far more prosperity for all.

In addition, people get hung up on words like pure or unfettered capitalism. These are often used pejoratively to describe some far-fetched notion of ‘evil’ capitalism. Good grief.

Most often ‘unfettered capitalism’ is a dopey code word for corporate capitalism. Please, so-called corporate capitalism simply is an organizing foundation that requires pursuit of shareholder profit by law. Period. As mentioned, it is only a modest component of the economic system, around 20%. In addition, it actually DOES produces great ‘collective’ innovations like Herceptin, Android and the Prius. C’mon, #OWS, get a clue.



Furthermore, the FACT is most capitalism is unfettered. Farmers markets, eBay, the kid who cuts the lawn, etc., are pure and unfettered. They make up the VAST majority of the capitalistic economic system.


#OWS must pursue a better understand of systems thinking, networks and ecosystems. Many genetic variation of capitalism co-exist simultaneously and productivity. They have lifecycles. It is the nature of systems. There is mutation, emergence and genetic drift in all capitalistic subsystems.

Anyway, it is painful to see the idiotic and disgusting ‘anti-capitalist’ protests on Wall Street. Remember, these people are usually spoiled brats and layabouts from leafy suburbs. Ask these drug-addled losers for their alternative to whatever the hell they think they are protesting, and they are silent, clueless. What they SHOULD be protesting is the overbearing size and scope of govt and its futile control of the capitalistic dynamic.

Govt ‘fettered’ capitalism through ‘too big to fail’ loans, foolish stimulus, asinine backstop and guarantees. It was a revolting episode, an economic disaster. For example, one firm was “unfettered” by govt, Lehman Brothers, and allowed to complete its natural lifecycle – death. While another firm, Citicorp, Inc. was not. Lehman completed its natural, unfettered capitalistic lifecycle. While today, Citi’s moldering, wretched, stinking cadaver and filthy management continues to poison our shared economic system.

To correct the problem, it is precisely fettered, not unfettered corporate capitalism that is problematic. Govt fettered capitalism is very harmful to the collective and commons of civil society. For example, there is NO way in hell an 'unfettered' firm would have ever leveraged your hard earned bank deposits for credit default swaps if they didn’t have a tacit, govt backstop (fettered). Please, folks, try and see the whole (system) picture.





More...