Das Kapital, The Democrats, and Lies

#Politicaldebate #capitalism #democracy #democrats #2024election

#whyleftfails #leftism #liberaldemocratic

Since the famous book from Karl Marx, Das Kapital, we seemed to have followed this ideology regardless of geopolitical region just because how capitalism has presented challenges to us.

When asked "why do people in capitalistic countries hate capitalism", #chatgpt gives the below answer:

1. Inequality and Economic Disparities

Capitalism often leads to significant wealth inequality, with the rich getting richer while many struggle to make ends meet.

2. Exploitation and Worker Alienation

Critics argue capitalism exploits workers by extracting more value from them than they are paid, causing alienation and dissatisfaction.

3. Environmental Destruction

Capitalism’s focus on profit can result in environmental harm, such as overconsumption and resource depletion, contributing to climate change.

4. Consumerism and Overconsumption

Capitalism promotes excessive consumerism, which can lead to feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction, as people are encouraged to buy more than they need.

5. Corporate Power and Influence

Large corporations often hold too much influence over governments, leading to political disempowerment and monopolies that stifle competition.

6. Globalization and Worker Exploitation

Outsourcing jobs to low-wage countries can harm domestic workers while perpetuating global inequality and exploitation.

7. Lack of Social Safety Nets

In countries with weak welfare systems, people feel that capitalism leaves them vulnerable to economic hardship without adequate social support.

8. Lack of Control or Agency

Capitalism can make people feel powerless, as market forces dictate their economic lives, leaving them vulnerable to economic downturns.

9. Disillusionment with the "American Dream"

The promise of success through hard work is seen as a myth, as social mobility is limited by factors like class and race.

In short, people criticize capitalism for causing inequality, exploiting workers, harming the environment, and concentrating power in the hands of the few.

And it's not fair. Because the inequalities and disparage in economic, corporate power are there even though we are leftist leaning.         

Now I started asking ChatGPT why communism is a lie:

The idea that "communism is a lie" comes from the gap between its ideal theory and its real-world outcomes. Key reasons include:

1. Authoritarianism: Instead of a classless, stateless society, communist regimes often lead to centralized, authoritarian governments, with power concentrated in the hands of a few.
2. Economic Inefficiency: State-run economies in communist countries have often been inefficient, leading to shortages, poor quality, and stagnation.
3. Corruption and Privilege: Communist elites often enjoyed privileges and luxuries, undermining the promise of equality.
4. Repression: Communist states frequently suppress political freedoms and dissent through violence, censorship, and imprisonment.
5. Persistence of Inequality: Despite promises of equality, new elites often emerged, and disparities between the ruling party and ordinary citizens remained.
6. Human Nature: Critics argue that communism’s ideal of collective ownership conflicts with human nature, leading to lack of incentives, innovation, and economic growth.

In short, communism’s theoretical promises of equality and freedom often clashed with the authoritarian, inefficient, and repressive realities of its implementation.

The exploration point here is at the difference between the success implementation rate between capitalism and communism, so I asked this question:

Its answer being :

China’s economic success, despite being a communist country, can be explained by a few key factors:

1. Hybrid Economy: China combines state control with market reforms, embracing capitalist practices like private enterprise and global trade, while maintaining central control over key sectors.
2. Government-Driven Growth: The Chinese government plays a key role in guiding development, making long-term plans, and investing in infrastructure and technology, which drives growth.
3. Manufacturing Powerhouse: China is the world's manufacturing hub, benefiting from low labor costs, massive production, and global export markets.
4. Long-Term Planning: China's centralized system allows for strategic, long-term economic planning, unlike democratic countries with short-term election cycles.
5. Capitalist Practices: China attracts foreign investment and embraces market-driven growth, while maintaining strict political control.
6. U.S. Structural Issues: While the U.S. faces challenges like inequality and political dysfunction, China has used its growth to reduce poverty and maintain stability.

In short, China’s success is due to its blend of state control and market reforms, not pure communism.

A very important point here is number 5 - China actually implements capitalistic strategies.

So then let's look at what the democrats, and the lefts are doing in the West.

1. Public Ownership of Major Industries

• Communist Idea: Collective ownership of industries and services for public good.
• Leftist Strategy: Nationalizing key industries like energy and healthcare to ensure they are not driven by profit.
• Real U.S. Policy: Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All proposal (2020) called for publicly funded healthcare and the nationalization of the healthcare system to ensure universal coverage and reduce corporate profit from healthcare services.

2. Universal Basic Services (UBS)

• Communist Idea: State-provided essential services like healthcare, housing, and education as human rights.
• Leftist Strategy: Advocating for free public services like healthcare and education to ensure equality and access for all.
• Real U.S. Policy: Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan (2021) increased funding for affordable healthcare, expanded child tax credits, and made childcare and education more accessible, with long-term goals of strengthening the social safety net.

3. Progressive Taxation and Wealth Redistribution

• Communist Idea: Redistributing wealth to reduce inequality and provide for public needs.
• Leftist Strategy: Higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations to fund social programs and reduce income inequality.
• Real U.S. Policy: Joe Biden's proposed tax reforms (2021) aimed at increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations to fund social welfare programs, like the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan. The plan included a wealth tax proposal targeting the richest Americans.

4. Worker Cooperatives and Democratic Workplaces

• Communist Idea: Workers control the means of production, and businesses are managed collectively.
• Leftist Strategy: Supporting worker cooperatives and more democratic models of workplace governance.
• Real U.S. Policy: Elizabeth Warren's Accountable Capitalism Act (2018) proposed that large corporations give workers a voice in corporate governance by requiring that 40% of corporate boards be made up of workers, aiming to shift decision-making from just profit to people’s needs.

5. Rejection of Market Fundamentalism

• Communist Idea: An economy where the state plans and directs resources instead of relying on free markets.
• Leftist Strategy: Advocating for state intervention in economic sectors to ensure fair distribution, public welfare, and environmental sustainability.
• Real U.S. Policy: Bernie Sanders' Green New Deal (2020) proposed government-led investment in clean energy, infrastructure, and job creation to tackle climate change, pushing for public control of critical sectors like energy and transportation.

6. Environmental Justice and Eco-Socialism

• Communist Idea: A planned economy where resources are managed for environmental sustainability and collective welfare.
• Leftist Strategy: Integrating environmental justice into economic policies, pushing for green investments and climate policies that benefit all, especially marginalized communities.
• Real U.S. Policy: Joe Biden's climate policies (2021), including the Paris Agreement re-entry and the American Jobs Plan, focused on investing in renewable energy and creating green jobs, emphasizing a shift away from fossil fuel dependence.

7. Global Solidarity and Anti-Imperialism

• Communist Idea: Solidarity among workers and nations against imperialism and capitalist exploitation.
• Leftist Strategy: Pushing for fair trade policies and supporting movements for economic independence and anti-imperialist solidarity globally.
• Real U.S. Policy: Bernie Sanders' foreign policy (2016–2020) advocated for reducing military spending, cutting corporate influence in foreign policy, and focusing on human rights and global cooperation (e.g., Sanders opposed U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen and supported lifting sanctions on Cuba).

8. Universal Basic Income (UBI) and Direct Redistribution

• Communist Idea: Redistribution of resources to guarantee everyone’s basic needs, decoupling survival from labor.
• Leftist Strategy: Proposals for universal basic income (UBI) to ensure economic security for all citizens.
• Real U.S. Policy: Andrew Yang's UBI proposal (2020) as part of his presidential campaign, which called for providing $1,000 a month to every American adult to address automation and ensure economic security.

9. Abolition of Private Property in Housing

• Communist Idea: Abolishing private ownership of housing to prevent speculation and inequality.
• Leftist Strategy: Advocating for public housing, rent control, and policies that make housing a right rather than a commodity.
• Real U.S. Policy: AOC's Green New Deal (2019) also included a proposal for affordable housing as part of a broader economic and environmental overhaul, emphasizing public investment in housing and infrastructure to address homelessness and affordable housing shortages.

10. Anti-Capitalist Cultural Shifts

• Communist Idea: Moving away from consumerism, materialism, and the profit-driven mentality that dominates capitalist society.
• Leftist Strategy: Supporting anti-consumerist values and advocating for a reduction in unnecessary consumption while prioritizing well-being and sustainability.
• Real U.S. Policy: Joe Biden's Build Back Better Plan (2021) aimed at transitioning toward a more sustainable economy, promoting green technologies and creating a sustainable labor force, in part by reducing reliance on consumerism and fossil fuels.

It looks like leftists/democrats are pushing forward the communist movements, in experiment of the "China ideas", however - does China actually do the same in the same realms?         

Anti-Capitalist Cultural Shifts

• Leftist Strategy (U.S.): Promoting anti-consumerism and collective values over capitalist individualism and profit-seeking.
• China’s Policy: China has promoted a mix of market-driven consumerism alongside state-sponsored collective values. The government emphasizes social stability and national pride over unchecked consumerism but also encourages national consumer spending through campaigns.Example: The government promotes a sense of Chinese national pride (e.g., the Chinese Dream) but also facilitates a consumer-driven economy, particularly in cities.

Conclusion

Perhaps the democrats should move to China.

But why don't they?

Because of human rights, authoritarianism, lack of democracy, voting rights and most state-controlled systems and agencies will drive the democrats crazy. But in practice, I personally think democrats will have a pretty happy life in China, here's why:

1. China's networking environment heavily bases on observation and maneuvor , rather than morality and mutual sincere respect; there are exceptions however.
2. Democrats will enjoy a rule-breaking lifestyle because people won't really judge if they are "white" foreigners.
3. Democrats critical race theory will still apply because there is an overwhelming oversea returned majority who were "democratized" in the USA or the UK, who fully agree with their "democratic" ideas; they'll be very happy to find companions of all sorts, of all functions, for drinks or even more.
4. Democrats can enjoy universal healthcare while sincerely despising the doctors being Chinese - real examples in China.
5. China provides a socially liberal environment in its first tier cities for foreigners, as long as your speeches don't go too far to hinder their political regimes (usually you won't).
6. Democrats agreement with "Das Kapital" will fully embrace the student body because that's how university students in China are educated.
7. Speaking of Das Kapital, this article did not talk about it much, because it's unhinged.

Additioinally, the DEI that the leftists/democrats claim is a total lie, the lies however, are sincerely believed by some - who start creating truths out of their lies. 
Those who did take it seriously ,the central leftists, have actually almost gone extinct. We need to properly define central left and moderate next time.         

Takeaway for leaders:

Relocation or recruiting labors from certain geographical region is up to the latest policies to examine.

Note: Singapore is fundamentally "China". Singapore capitalism lacks of enough legal protection, it does not rely on the real capitalistic philosophies but a mere stringent, rigorous and at times, draconian approach to managing its people.

In essence, singapore is not a democracy.

The Westerners / leftists who went there are essentially aware of the actual right-wing ideologies.

This is another lie.