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Question by ZombiEater: How do we replace profit motive?
In a accurate socialism (no cash, no corporations, collaborative worker ownership of all industry, etc) all labor by the operating class must be voluntary (per Oscar Wilde’s well-known operate, “The Soul of Man Under Socialism”, http://www.on-line-literature.com/wilde/1309/). However, the bigger dilemma would be motive. What would motivate the working class to perform their jobs (do you actually believe nationalism itself would be strong adequate to motivate the operating class)? Below capitalism, this dilemma is solved, of course, by profit motive (a most deleterious scheme whereby greed is employed as a driving force). Consequently, I ask you, how can this be replaced in a correct socialism?
Very best answer:
Answer by ex_righty
uhmm.. W doesn’t want anyting but mega christo capitalism!
we are screwed!!!!
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Comments are closed.
Danny K May 27 2012 - 11:03 pm
You can’t…Why would you want to Live Free or Die!
loryntoo May 27 2012 - 11:17 pm
True socialism doesn’t function well outside of the nuclear family. Even in the family you have to have the carrot and the stick. “You can go out with your friends after you clean your room” or “You will stay in your room until its clean.”
Wilde was an optimist who did not understand human dynamics as well as the average mother of three.
The thing is you will always have to have the carrot and the stick under any socialist program. The carrot, of course, is profit or wages. The stick is being fired or punished or not paid for work not done.
Unfair Fairness May 27 2012 - 11:38 pm
It cannot be replaced because Humans are animals. It is the nature of an animal to consume, it is required for survival, and unless you can guarantee that everything needed for consumption would be equally available, motive or the questioning of motives will be an issue.
The competition for resources is what currently drives the world and its woes. If we achieved the perfect equilibrium all it would take is one dissenter to destroy the entire thing. This is what happened to communism. The first person who was either wronged or felt they were wronged by one of their communist brothers set into motion a wave of dissenters that ultimately led to the collapse of the true communist system. Communism doesn’t fully exist. The idea exist but the system itself is an out of reach ideal.
Flyboy May 28 2012 - 12:00 am
My lawn needs mowing. Would you come over and mow it for free? You provide the mower, gas and labor. I get the mowed lawn.
spleenwater May 28 2012 - 12:25 am
is capitalism truly fueled by greed? maybe for the wealthy, the business owners, the corporate conglomerates, etc., but for most its a simple paycheck to paycheck survival.
this is how it could work and “motivation” could be found as reflected in more primitive barter systems: suppose you build houses, others provide food, services, etc. and so on for every aspect of the society. you only build houses for those that take care of you by doing their jobs and vice versa. if you build a crappy house for someone, they deny you their services.
of course this is very simplistic and I realize it is not a complete idea, just a place to start. obviously from the little that Ive said more dishonest people would try to get a free ride by claiming this or that service was sub-standard so as to avoid recompense to those that have assisted them…naturally arbiters and courts would still be necessary.
Craig C May 28 2012 - 12:54 am
The quick answer is that it can’t be replaced. Socialist theories rely on the fact that people will do what they do for the common good. Doctors will still be doctors and such. As has been shown time and again throughout history, that does not hold true. People work to make money so that they can enjoy a better standard of living. People spend years in school to become a doctor to help people and also to make a lot of money so they can go on trips, drive BMW’s and live in big houses. If their standard of living was going to be the same as a worker in a field picking produce, what would be the incentive to become a doctor? A capitalist society is and always will be a superior society to a socialist society because everybody can make as much money and enjoy as good a lifestyle as they are capable of. Not everyone is capable of becoming a doctor and there is nothing wrong with that. Everybody does not have to live equal lives. If the old adage “money can’t buy happiness” is true, then why are people so concerned with how much other people make?
espreses@sbcglobal.net May 28 2012 - 1:30 am
You are asking me to validate a fools dream. True socialism is not possible because it is contrary to human nature. A brief overview of human history will show that those things contrary to human nature are doomed to fail. In the short term socialism can be enforced at the point of a gun. This will fail in the long run because 1) either the people in charge will become corrupted 2) productive people will begin to act in their own self interest and work to dismantle and destroy a socialist system 3) the economy created by socialists will collapse and the people will starve forcing the survivors to abandon socialism. While nationalism is a strong force, especially when enforced by a government skilled in propaganda and where the people have been recent victims of either a war or an oppressive government sooner or latter the truth wins out(think China). What amazes me is the waste of time effort and capital dedicated to achieving the socialist myth by people who should know better.
jake May 28 2012 - 2:02 am
it can’t..I negotiated my wages and benifits with my employer and it motivated me to work harder.
Nothingusefullearnedinschool May 28 2012 - 2:37 am
Sorry, I am not happy about the Government in this country now, but I sure as H___ don’t want it to become any more Socialistic or Communistic.
Lots of people seem to think that capitalism/profit motive is evil. I think just the opposite: I think most of the problems in this country are caused by people wanting the Government to feed, clothe, house, everything, them, while they sit and collect.
This is what smokers do: they smoke, smoke, smoke, become sick, then expect free medical care from society.
The same thing applies to those who drink, those who use “recreational” drugs, those who ride motorcycles, etc.
This is why we import oil for our gasoline buggies.
No one wants to be responsible.
Those who want Socialism/Communism are wanting to be back in their Mom’s womb!
Profit motive is NOT evil: it is expecting to be paid for your efforts.