Reshid Bey's Reviews > Why Socialism?

Question (1949) : Is it advisable for one who is not an expert on economic and social issues to express views on the subject of socialism?

Notes:
- Scientific method is not an end but a tool used to inspire people to envision what it means to live. The current approaches of observing economic phenomena proliferate a stagnant viewpoint that compartmentalises and ignores a range of factors outside strictly economic influence e.g. conquest.

- The west was built upon conquest, where one group seized a monopoly of land ownership and appointed people to power who directly served them (originally priests). These people were in control of education and created a system of values that guided people in their social behaviour.

- Reference to Thorstein Veblen and the predatory phase of human development. The current economic laws we have created proliferate a predatory phase, one must look at things with fresh & critical eyes. Those on the inside regurgitate common doctrine. Science alone cannot solve human problems, thinking about how we organise society must be imagined.

- People are feeling shattered, apathetic and yielding to the notion that humanity is doomed. This is because we are living in a world that hasn't evolved to the level of suitability for human life.

- Humans are both solitary and social, they want to protect their own existence and that of those closest to them, satisfy innate desires and abilities as well as gain the recognition and affection of fellow human beings, to comfort them and to improve their conditions of life. We must find an equilibrium between these two qualities.

- There are biological constraints, however we are all dependant on society and through society we can change each other, its not one or the other. What makes humans special is that we are able to develop in ways that go beyond biology because we are able to communicate, form memories and in turn interpret the world we live in. These gifts have lead to the creation of traditions, institutions, and organisations, literature, scientific and engineering accomplishments and works of art. In many ways we create our world.

- We acquire a cultural constitution that we get from the social environment we are in, which has varied dramatically across history and countries, showing that the individual is inherently linked with society. Human beings are therefore not condemned to annihilate each other because of their biological constitution.

- We have been taught to distance ourselves from out social needs and told that society is a violation of freedom. This makes us prisoners to egotism and leads to insecurity, loneliness and a lack of enjoyment of life that can only occur when one is devoted to themselves as well as society. This is one of the main reasons so many are cynical about the fate of humanity.

- The fundamental problem is economic anarchy (individuals constantly trying to deprive each other of the collective labor) as the means of production is determined by the individual by law. Therefore, the payment of the worker is characteristically not determined by the value of their product but by the minimum price of which the capitalist determines in relation to workers competing for jobs. Private capital often becomes concentrated in a few hands mainly because of the cutthroat competition between capitalists and technological advancements which encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of smaller ones.

- Oligarchies form and directly influence the democratically organised political society as members are aligned with parties that are funded by private capitalists. Elected people therefore for the most part do not represent the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population as that isn't in the interest of private capitalists who only aim to have a capable workforce who they can profit from.

- Private capitalists also control the sources of information (press, radio, education) making it difficult for citizens to educate themselves and feel empowered to understand their political rights.

- Production is carried out for profit, not for use. An army of unemployed is always present and keeps the workers in constant fear of losing their jobs, motivating them to push for productivity and not rebel.

- The profit motive leads to instability in the accumulation and utilisation of capital which leads to increasingly severe depressions.

- Our education system is a huge problem as it encourages predatory tactics.

- The only way forward is to create a socialist economy and an education system that is oriented towards social goals, where the means of production are owned by society and are utilised in a planned fashion. Centralised control is however something to be weary of.