PeterFrank
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Really good links for Cuba and Venezuela. The average American moron will think the monetary problems reveal internal weakness in socialism. The American boob is unable to see that the dollar is a weapon. Average people all across planet earth calculate in 2 currencies every single day of their lives: first in their own currency and second in dollars. The only country whose citizens don’t have to do this is the US. I know you know this, but I want you to know that I know it, if you don’t already.
The reason you can’t have socialism in one country, from an economic perspective, is that imperialism is predicated on a monopoly of currency, created and maintained by military. The US dollar was and is the global reserve currency for almost a century. 80% of international transactions use the dollar (2015 numbers). Imperialism strangles the socialist countries by preventing them from free and fair trade. The dollar is a noose around the neck of socialism. Currency/money is capitalism. No money, no capitalism.
Today’s build up towards WW3, which is really a repeat of WW1, is about currency first and foremost. This is why world socialism is the only way socialism can occur. Neither capitalism or socialism can exist in one country.
It is a contradiction in terms. That’s the point. Both have very compelling arguments. You can’t choose one or the other. Viki1999 doesn’t know about SPGB, or she would talk about it.
You don’t need to tell me that you aren’t Marxist-Leninists. I know that.
What is the prognosis, regarding the “we” in the world socialism movement? Strategy? Tactics?
Wow. Thank you for that book recommendation. I’m so disgusted by Americans. They are zombies. I don’t see how change is possible to make. I fear it has to just happen via a total collapse.
Hey, sorry for the long silence. Too much work and stress. I have to catch up on all your messages.
Yes, my strategy when talking to people has been to start with rent and then proceed to all private ownership of property and so forth. I actually don’t believe anymore that arguing for socialism will work. I’m very depressed. I don’t have much hope.
Just in case, I’ll mention it again: I’m not a Georgist. At all. I think they are right wingers. The SPGB is my ideal. I understand why Marxist-Leninists take the stance that they do, as well as why anarchists take the stance they do. I would call myself an anarchist outright, but I don’t think they understand how powerful capital is. The ML’s do. There is a YouTuber named Viki1999 that I think most closely resembles me. She calls herself an anarcho-tankie.
Thanks for sending me this. I’ll check it out tomorrow. You are 100% correct: there is no such thing as economics. The subject is a fiction created by the institution of private property to jelly bean count. Socialism and economics are antithetical.
I’m reading your words again, and I really agree about the definitions being created by and for western culture’s and capitalism’s worldview. Your insight is a starting point towards a discussion of what real socialism is – basically the SPGB’s idea of no private property, no compulsory work, no prices, no leaders, countries, etc.
You make good points. In Michel Hudson’s defense, I’ll say that the didn’t write the book from a particular ideological approach. This was deliberate. His life’s work is about the history of debt. His work is meant to be used by socialists to fight the intellectual battle against capitalism. Hudson give us the economic weapons. The same can be said of so many socialist economists. You might believe, as I do, that economics is a fiction. But the reality is that this fiction is made of material that is durable – over 7,000 years and private property is as strong as ever. Any ammunition that we can use is welcome, at least for me.
Henry George and his followers don’t have anything to offer socialists, but using land rent as an introduction to how capital exists to extract wealth from those who don’t own capital is a good way to open the door to the more general discussion of how all capital functions in this way.
When did you debate the Georgists recently? I didn’t hear of that. The Georgists are afraid of socialists. They refuse to debate them, as far as I know. Are you in the U.K.? If so, that would make sense. The Americans are mostly smug and intolerant. A few are open minded, but they are in the minority.
I don’t understand what you mean when you say that Larouche had the same idea of fascism as most of the left do. Could you explain?
When were you there? Are from Mexico? Did you work for awhile in Alabama? Did we walk to Grand Central after class a few times? If so, we know each other!
These Georgists don’t understand that economics is a charade. It’s one giant hustle. They believe that their ideas are the equivalent of engineering. They forget that the support of the population is necessary in order to change laws. And the laws regarding land value and rent seeking are there to protect the ruling class. Changing those specific laws is a child’s fantasy, which is what the Georgists are at the end of the day. It’s one giant fantasy game like Dungeons and Dragons.
Meanwhile Imperialism/capitalism kills millions every year just from starvation alone. The Georgists don’t believe they should care about such thing’s because they are foreign affairs. It’s insane.
Yet I still think the idea of removing all rent seeking is a good starting point when beginning a conversation of economics.
