Wednesday 20 February 2013

Anti-capitalist - me??

People ask me why I'm so anti-capitalist and anti-Conservative? I understand why they think that but have to say that it betrays the kind of lazy thinking that characterises so much of discourse in Britain today and the bullying form of discourse that argues that if I am not with you then I must not only be against you, but must be your enemy. On the charge of anti-Conservative I will simply reply by repeating the answer the philosopher John Stuart Mill gave to such a charge that "Not every Conservative is stupid, but most stupid people are Conservatives."

On the charge of anti-capitalist, this question is based on the completely false notion that capitalism is a defined economic system. This is obviously false as there are many variants of capitalism and is symptomatic of the lazy thinking I spoke of. My objection is to a particular form of capitalism, the dominant UK free market form of capitalism that we know as the neoliberal variant. The variant that is destroying the social fabric of the British nation and fuelling hatred for the disadvantaged and minorities. The variant that has destroyed our value system and promoted greed and selfishness as virtues.

Free market economic theory is simply wrong as it is based on several false premises.
a) It has a false concept of human nature, basing its policies on the notion of individualism. Humans are social animals and their individualism is a reflection of their social nature.
b) It is premised on the concept of the rational individual. Human beings have the capacity for rational thought but most certainly do not start from that point.
c) It is anti-collectivist when the human being is a collective being
d) As a result of the above, its theories and policies are essentially anti-social
e) It obviously promotes the concept of free markets when the concept of a free market is an impossibility and is not a desirable thing in the first place.

Modern British economic policy takes it lead from Thatcher's famous observation that there is no such thing as society. This observation is so stupid that it would normally be barely worth commenting on, but Thatcher said it for reasons that were dangerous, destructive and sinister and have had profound consequences that still resonate today, so they must be challenged.

Should anyone wish me to elaborate on any of the above points I would be happy to do so

Your Servant
Doktor Kommirat

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